Qatar says 13 killed in explosion at Ras Laffan industrial area

DOHA, Qatar — QatarEnergy said 13 people were killed in an explosion at the Ras Laffan industrial area near Doha on Monday evening. The company said an investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the blast. Qatari authorities said 54 people were injured and 18 remained unaccounted for. The explosion occurred at a unit that supplies gas to local companies, and the shock was felt across Doha, the company said. QatarEnergy said emergency crews brought the resulting fire under control. The incident took place during initial operations at a facility in Ras Laffan, home to the world's largest liquefied natural gas processing complex. The company said the explosion did not affect Qatar's LNG exports. No further details were immediately available.