Doha, Qatar, June 22: At least 13 people, including Indian and Pakistani nationals, were killed and 66 others injured after an explosion and subsequent fire at a gas facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, according to Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad bin Shreida Al-Kaabi.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening at the Barzan local gas supply facility. Al-Kaabi, who also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of QatarEnergy, confirmed during a press briefing that the deceased included Indian and Pakistani workers, although the exact number of Indian casualties had not been officially confirmed.
The Embassy of India in Doha said it is in constant contact with the Qatari authorities and is extending all possible assistance to the affected families and injured persons.
In a statement posted on X, the embassy expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident. It also issued emergency helpline numbers, +974-55647502 and +974-55384683, along with the email address cons.doha@mea.gov.in for assistance.
Earlier, the embassy had expressed concern over the incident, stating that several individuals had sustained injuries while some others were initially reported missing. The mission said that the Indian community in Qatar stood in solidarity with the Government and people of Qatar during the difficult period.
QatarEnergy said the explosion and fire occurred during the start-up operations at the Barzan local gas supply facility on Sunday evening. The company stated that emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the site and that the fire has since been brought under control.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.