13 Killed and 66 Injured as Massive Explosion Hits Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG Facility

• At least 13 people have been killed and 66 injured after a powerful explosion tore through Qatar’s largest liquified natural gas facility in Ras Laffan
• The blast, described as a “technical accident,” lit up the night sky and was felt as far as central Doha, sparking panic among residents
• Authorities have confirmed the victims were foreign workers, as investigations begin into the cause of the deadly incident

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At least 13 people have died and 66 others were injured following a massive explosion at Qatar’s largest liquified natural gas (LNG) facility in Ras Laffan Industrial Zone on Sunday, June 21, 2026.

The country’s interior ministry described the incident as a “technical accident” that lit up the skyline in orange and was felt more than 70km (43 miles) away in central Doha.

Energy minister confirms no export impact

According to BBC, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi stressed that the blast would not affect LNG exports, saying: “This was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature.” He added that the government is investigating the cause of the explosion at the Barzan local gas supply facility and confirmed there were no environmental risks.

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However, al-Kaabi admitted it was unclear when operations would resume: “Plant production was intentionally completely stopped since December 2025 due to urgent maintenance requirements, it was first restarted again only two days ago.”

Authorities confirmed that all those killed were workers from India and Pakistan. The Embassy of India in Doha expressed condolences, stating:

“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 also assured families that support would be provided.

QatarEnergy response and facility shutdown

QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company, confirmed the explosion occurred at the Barzan facility on Sunday evening. Emergency teams quickly contained the fire. The blast happened as workers were restarting operations that had been halted in March.

The company noted that repairs would reduce LNG output by 12.8 million tonnes for three to five years. This comes after earlier disruptions when Ras Laffan Port suffered “extensive damage” from Iranian strikes during the US-Israel war with Iran.

Ras Laffan Port, the world’s largest artificial harbour and LNG export facility, plays a crucial role in global energy supply. Qatar had previously paused production during the conflict, halting a fifth of the world’s LNG shipments. Exports had only recently resumed before this latest accident.

Qatar announces job opportunity specifically for Nigerians

Legit.ng earlier reported that Qatar has announced new job opportunities specifically for Nigerian professionals in 2026. This move reflects the country’s aim to strengthen its workforce by welcoming skilled Nigerians into its energy sector.

The role involves performing field operations across facilities such as Utility, Inlet Receiving, Sulphur Recovery, and LNG. Successful applicants will monitor equipment performance and maintain processes within safe limits to ensure reliable plant operation.

Competency Training is required to maintain operational skills through on-the-job training and rotation. Equipment Operation must be carried out safely to ensure effective process flows. Performance Monitoring includes logging parameters and reporting irregularities to supervisors.