Barzan Gas Plant Explosion Qatar Leaves 54 Hurt, 18 Missing

Qatar – (Web Desk) – A deadly Barzan gas plant explosion in Qatar shook the Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday evening, injuring at least 54 people and leaving 18 workers missing. Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed the blast was caused by a technical malfunction during restart operations at the facility.

What Happened at Ras Laffan?

QatarEnergy said the explosion and fire broke out at the Barzan local gas supply facility during the start-up of operations. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the fire. Authorities confirmed the fire is now under control.

Qatar’s Interior Ministry described the incident as an internal explosion caused by a technical accident. Officials also confirmed there is no gas leak that poses any threat to public safety.

54 Injured, 18 Workers Still Missing

Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed 54 people were injured in the explosion. Search and rescue operations are actively ongoing for the 18 missing workers. The Qatari International Search and Rescue Group is working closely with civil defence teams to locate the missing persons.

The total number of injured persons in the incident that occurred at a factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City has reached (54). The Qatar International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), in cooperation with Civil Defence teams, is conducting search…

— Ministry of Interior – Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) June 22, 2026

A loud explosion was heard as far as Doha, the capital city located south of the Ras Laffan facility, according to witnesses.

Background — Qatar’s LNG Crisis

Qatar is one of the world’s top liquefied natural gas producers alongside the United States, Australia, and Russia. The country was already dealing with serious damage to its LNG infrastructure from the US-Iran war earlier this year.

Iranian drone strikes on March 2 forced Qatar to fully halt gas production. Further attacks on March 18 caused additional damage that is expected to cut Qatar’s LNG export capacity by 17 percent. Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi said at the time that repairs could take three to five years.

The Barzan gas plant was being restarted as Iran began loosening its hold on the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing peace negotiations. Sunday’s explosion is a major setback to those recovery efforts.

What Is the Barzan Gas Plant?

The Barzan gas facility is a key domestic gas supply plant located inside Ras Laffan Industrial City in northern Qatar. It supplies natural gas to Qatar’s local market. The plant is operated by QatarEnergy and is separate from Qatar’s main LNG export terminals.

QatarEnergy said it will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.