Doha/New Delhi: Twelve Indian nationals were among 13 people killed in an explosion at a gas facility in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City on Monday, June 22, the Indian Embassy in Doha confirmed, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India was working to repatriate the mortal remains of those killed.
The blast occurred at around 10:30 pm on June 21 at the Barzan local gas supply facility, Qatar’s main energy hub. Sixty-six others were injured, including nationals from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria and Nepal, in addition to Qataris and Indians.
What happened
QatarEnergy, which operates the facility, said the explosion occurred during the startup of operations at the Barzan plant, which had been shut since December 2025 for urgent maintenance and had only been restarted two days before the incident. Emergency response teams and Qatar’s Civil Defence swiftly extinguished the fire that followed.
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior attributed the blast to a technical malfunction and said authorities were investigating to determine its exact cause. Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi ruled out sabotage or hostile activity. The ministry also confirmed no leaks were detected and that there was no threat to public safety or the surrounding environment. QatarEnergy said its LNG facilities, Ras Laffan Port and export capabilities remained unaffected.
Indian response
Jaishankar, posting on X on Tuesday, said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of lives and injuries, including of Indian nationals,” and that the embassy was in constant touch with Qatari authorities and reaching out to families of the affected.
The Indian Embassy said it was working to facilitate the repatriation of the mortal remains of those killed and confirmed that all injured Indian nationals were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment.
Gulf nations express solidarity
Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait issued statements expressing solidarity with Qatar and extending condolences to the families of those killed.
A full technical investigation into the cause of the explosion is under way.
