Doha, Qatar – The Qatari Ministry of Interior announced in an official update Monday morning that the number of injuries resulting from the accident at a factory in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area has reached 54. Meanwhile, field efforts are continuing to search for 18 people who remain missing.
Field rescue efforts
The Ministry explained in a post on the “X” platform that the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, affiliated with the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), is currently leading intensive search operations for the missing persons. This is being done in full coordination and field cooperation with the Civil Defense teams, who continue to secure the site.
The nature of the accident and its technical implications
Qatari authorities revealed in a statement on Sunday that an internal explosion occurred at the Barzan plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City. They confirmed that the incident was caused by a “technical malfunction” during operations.
The Ministry reassured the public, according to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), that the incident was technical in nature. Furthermore, there was no leakage of chemical or gaseous materials that could pose an environmental or health risk to individuals in the surrounding areas.
Qatar Energy’s response
For its part, Qatar Energy issued a detailed statement regarding the incident. It explained that the explosion and fire occurred at the Barzan plant, which is dedicated to meeting local gas needs.
The company confirmed that immediately after the incident on Sunday evening, emergency plans were activated and specialized response teams were deployed. As a result, these teams successfully controlled the fire and contained the situation, preventing its spread to other units within the vital industrial complex.
Context of operations in Ras Laffan
It is worth noting that Ras Laffan Industrial City has experienced fluctuations in its operational pace over the past few months. For example, Qatar halted operations at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant during the period of heightened military tensions between the United States and Iran last February, as a precautionary measure to ensure safety. The company began gradually restarting the facilities last April, following a period of operating at limited capacity.
These developments come as local and international circles await the results of technical investigations that will reveal the precise causes of this operational malfunction. Meanwhile, official sources confirm that the top priority is currently focused on intensifying rescue operations to reach the missing and providing necessary medical care to all those injured.
