Doha: QatarEnergy
has confirmed that 13 people were killed in an explosion at a facility in Ras
Laffan Industrial City, one of the world's most important liquefied natural gas
hubs, with investigations underway to determine the cause. The victims were Indian
and Pakistani nationals, according to preliminary information.
The
blast, which occurred late Sunday at a domestic gas supply facility during
restart operations, also left 66 people injured, including nationals of Qatar,
Tanzania, India, Pakistan, Guinea, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Nigeria. None
of the injuries were reported to be life-threatening.
QatarEnergy said the explosion did not affect Qatar's LNG exports, and that gas facilities and Ras Laffan Port were operating normally. The company added that emergency response teams were deployed and the fire was brought under control. A technical investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances of the explosion.
