Ras Laffan Industrial City north of Doha in Qatar. ReutersRas Laffan Industrial City north of Doha in Qatar. ReutersSuspected accident during start-up operations at Ras Laffan Industrial CityThe NationalJune 22, 2026A total of 54 people have been injured and 18 are missing after an explosion occurred at a factory in Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City. An "operational incident" during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City led to an explosion and fire at the Barzan local gas supply facility on Sunday evening, operator QatarEnergy said. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the fire, which is now under control, it said on social media. Qatar's interior ministry confirmed that the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group along with civil defence teams are conducting search operations for the missing persons."The incident was caused by a technical malfunction during operations at a factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City," the ministry said. It added that there were "no leaks posing a threat to public safety". QatarEnergy did not disclose if the plant was damaged. It supplies gas to the domestic market.More to follow...Updated: June 22, 2026, 3:38 AM