A powerful explosion at a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Qatar has left at least 54 people injured, and authorities continue the search for 18 workers who are still unaccounted for.
The blast hit the country’s main LNG processing plant and sent shock waves through the surrounding industrial district, triggering an emergency response in a matter of seconds. Smoke billowed out of the plant where firefighters battled to control the aftermath of the blast.
According to initial reports, dozens of workers sustained injuries ranging from minor burns to serious trauma. Medical teams and ambulances were sent to the site, and the injured were transferred to hospitals close to the site.
Emergency services launched a massive search and rescue operation soon after. Heavy equipment and thermal imaging teams have since combed through damaged areas of the facility to find the 18 missing workers.
There is no clear cause for the explosion, and investigators are examining whether it was a gas leak, equipment failure, or operational failure that could have caused it. Safety inspectors are also on site to assess structural damage and evaluate potential risks in the surrounding area.
The LNG facility is a vital part of Qatar’s energy sector and one of the largest exporters of liquefied natural gas in the world. Production is feared to be disrupted because of the explosion, but it is not yet clear how much work is disrupted.
We have all the resources we need to support the rescue effort and to assure the safety of workers and nearby communities, the government added.
Families of the missing workers have gathered near information centres to wait for news about the workers and rescue teams. Family counselling and support services have been arranged for affected families and employees.
Industry experts say that although LNG facilities are well designed with safety measures, accidents with flammable gases can have far-reaching effects when they happen. Safety procedures and operational protocols will be reviewed immediately, and detailed safety procedures will be changed.
All the time, the rescue team is working to locate the missing workers and determine what could have led to the blast. We expect more information as we progress, and emergency workers can get into other parts of the damaged structure.
