Qatar: 54 Injured and 18 Missing in Explosion at a Factory in Ras Laffan

SadaNews - The Qatari Ministry of Interior announced early Monday that 54 people were injured in the explosion that occurred at a factory in Ras Laffan, northern Qatar, due to a technical malfunction.

The ministry added in a post on the "X" platform that the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group, part of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), has begun, in cooperation with Civil Defense teams, search operations for 18 missing persons.

The ministry had stated late Sunday that an internal explosion occurred at one of the factories in the Ras Laffan industrial area, indicating that Civil Defense teams had started responding to the incident.

The ministry pointed out that the explosion resulted in several injuries, but there was no leakage that posed a danger to individuals' safety, while the relevant authorities continue to manage the incident.

Ras Laffan city is located about 80 kilometers north of the capital, Doha, and serves as the main land base for processing gas extracted from the North Field.