Doha, Qatar—An explosion that lit up the night sky over Ras Laffan industrial zone left 13 people dead and 66 hurt. The blast occurred on Saturday night at the city’s largest liquified natural gas (LNG) facility, a site that processes about a quarter of the world’s LNG supply.
Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al‑Kaabi called the incident a “technical accident” and stressed that it was not sabotage or hostile in nature. He said the accident would not affect the country’s LNG export schedule, although the national emergency response teams were deployed to control the fire.
While the plant had been shut for urgent maintenance in December 2025 and restarted only a few days earlier, the explosion occurred during the ramp‑up that follows cessation of earlier shutdowns. Authorities are working to determine the source of the blast, which they have located at the Barzan local gas supply facility.
All victims to date were from India and Pakistan. The Embassy of India in Doha has announced support for affected families and remains in constant contact with Qatari authorities.
According to QatarEnergy, repairs will curb LNG output by about 12.8 million tonnes for three to five years. That figure reflects the day's costly interruption to Qatar’s vital energy export channel. Nevertheless, the government said the supply chain remains secure, with no evidence of environmental contamination.
Qatar’s port, the world’s largest artificial harbour, had endured extensive damage during retaliatory strikes amid the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict earlier in the year. The country is a key global LNG supplier, and this incident could influence long‑term energy markets.
More on the economic implications of the conflict: QatarEnergy’s estimate of reduced LNG output.
