Thirteen people were killed and 66 others injured in an explosion at Qatar’s Barzan local gas processing facility in the Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday evening, officials confirmed on Monday. The incident, described as one of the deadliest accidents in the Gulf energy sector in recent decades, is under investigation, with authorities ruling out sabotage or hostile actions.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy President and CEO Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi stated that the explosion occurred during the start-up of operations at the Barzan facility, which had been shut down since December 2025 for urgent maintenance and resumed activity just two days prior to the blast. Emergency teams, working alongside Qatar’s Civil Defense, quickly brought the ensuing fire under control.
The casualties included 13 fatalities, all Indian and Pakistani nationals, while the injured represent a wider range of nationalities including Qatari, Bangladeshi, Kenyan, Ghanaian, Tanzanian, Nigerian, and Nepalese, according to QatarEnergy. Officials confirmed that none of the injured are in critical condition. QatarEnergy has extended condolences to the families of the deceased and pledged full support to those affected.
Authorities clarified that the explosion took place at a unit supplying gas to local industries within the Ras Laffan complex, which is a key hub for Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. Despite the accident, Qatar’s energy minister emphasized that the blast has not impacted the main LNG facilities, Ras Laffan port, or logistical operations, underscoring that export capabilities and local gas requirements remain unaffected. Furthermore, the incident reportedly posed no environmental risk.
The blast reverberated across Doha, drawing attention amid heightened regional security concerns following Iranian attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure earlier this year. However, officials were unanimous in dismissing any connection between those events and Sunday’s accident.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed solidarity with Qatar in the wake of the tragedy, extending condolences to the Qatari government, the victims’ families, and those injured. Several senior Kuwaiti leaders, including HH the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, and HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, sent messages of sympathy to Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
A full assessment of the damage to the Barzan facility and nearby installations is ongoing as QatarEnergy works to determine the precise cause of the technical accident.