13 Killed, 66 Injured in Qatar Gas Plant Explosion

DOHA, June 22. /TASS/. At least 13 people were killed and 66 more were injured in an explosion at a gas processing plant in Qatar's Ras Laffan industrial zone, Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy CEO Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said.

TASS has summed up key facts about the accident.

Circumstances

A blast occurred at a facility in the Ras Laffan industrial area northeast of Doha late on June 21.

The area houses most of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas facilities.

Later, the emirate’s interior ministry said that the "local explosion" was caused by a "technical accident."

According to the ministry, no leaks of hazardous substances occurred.

Reuters reported, citing a source that the blast rocked the Barzan gas processing plant.

A TASS correspondent reported earlier that residents of some of Dona’s neighborhoods felt strange tremors resembling an earthquake, with windows and doors shaking in buildings.

Casualties

At least 13 people died after the explosion in the gas processing plant in the Ras Laffan industrial area, Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy CEO Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi said.

Sixty-six more people were injured, he added.

The Qatari interior ministry reported earlier that 54 people were injured and 18 went missing.

Investigation and response

The blast at the Barzan gas processing facility in the Ras Laffan industrial zone was caused by an operational error, Reuters said, citing a source.

The search operation is conducted by Lekhwiya, or the Internal Security Force (ISF), jointly with civil defense units, the interior ministry said.

According to Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy CEO Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, it was not an act of sabotage but an accident.

The accident will not impact Qatar’s natural gas exports, he stressed.

There are no environmental risks, he added.