Web desk(National Times)- Qatar’s interior ministry said that an explosion resulting from a “technical accident” at a factory in Ras Laffan, an industrial city north of the capital Doha and site of the country’s core LNG processing operations, left over 50 people injured on Sunday.

“The total number of injured in the incident that occurred at one of the factories in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area has reached 54, while the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group affiliated with the Internal Security Force, in cooperation with the Civil Defence teams, has launched search operations for 18 missing persons,” a post on the ministry’s X account said hours after the incident was initially reported.

In an earlier post, the ministry said there was no leak that “threatens safety”.

While it did not give the exact location of the explosion, QatarEnergy confirmed the operational incident during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City, saying it resulted in an explosion at its Barzan gas supply facility.

The company said the fire at the factory had been brought under control after the deployment of emergency response teams to contain the blaze.

From 20 kilometres south of Ras Laffan on Qatar’s north coast, an AFP journalist saw flames illuminating the night sky and a plume of smoke rising from the area, home to the world’s largest liquefied natural gas hub.

Pakistan’s embassy in Qatar expressed concern over the incident, saying it “stands in solidarity with Qatar”.