Twelve Indian nationals lost their lives in a devastating explosion at Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hubs, officials confirmed on Tuesday. One Pakistani national was also killed, taking the total death toll to 13, while 66 others sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment.
Qatar’s Energy Minister and QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi described the incident as a “technical accident” and ruled out any sabotage or hostile action. He said none of the injured are in life-threatening condition and that a full investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the blast.
“I find myself today having to do something I have always hoped will never happen, and that is to announce the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities. Sixty-six people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition,” al-Kaabi said while addressing the media.
The explosion occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility inside Ras Laffan Industrial City, a key centre for Qatar’s LNG production and exports. The impact was reportedly felt across central Doha, more than 70 kilometres away, with residents experiencing tremors and hearing a loud blast.
Officials stressed that there is no environmental threat and that Qatar’s LNG exports continue to operate without disruption. Al-Kaabi added, “This was an accident and not a sabotage or hostile in nature… Plant production was intentionally completely stopped since December 2025 due to urgent maintenance requirements, it was first restarted again only two days ago.”
The Indian Embassy in Doha expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and assured that it is working closely with Qatari authorities to provide assistance.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the families of those who have unfortunately passed away in the sad incident at Ras Laffan Industrial City last night,” the embassy said in a statement.
The mission further added, “Our embassy is working in close contact with the Qatari authorities to extend all possible assistance to the Indian nationals and their families affected by this incident, including ensuring that the mortal remains of the deceased are repatriated to India at the earliest.”
The accident comes months after the Ras Laffan complex suffered damage during regional hostilities, when Iranian missile strikes targeted critical gas-processing infrastructure. The Barzan facility had only recently resumed operations following an extended shutdown for maintenance and repairs, making the restart process particularly sensitive.
Ras Laffan Industrial City is the backbone of Qatar’s energy sector, producing around 77 million metric tons of LNG annually while supplying gas to domestic industries and power plants. Authorities are now examining whether technical failures during the restart process triggered the fatal explosion.
