ISLAMABAD: Qatar's Interior Ministry said on Monday that 54 people were injured and 18 others remained missing following an explosion at a factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City, as rescue teams continued search operations at the site.


The ministry said the incident was caused by a technical malfunction during operations at the factory. Authorities added that no leaks posing a threat to public safety had been detected.


Qatar's International Search and Rescue Group, part of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), is conducting search operations for the missing persons in cooperation with Civil Defence teams, according to the ministry.


Earlier, authorities had reported that an internal explosion had occurred at a factory in Ras Laffan Industrial City due to a technical incident and said no injuries or leaks had been recorded.


In a subsequent statement, the ministry said a number of injuries had been reported while reiterating that there were no leaks that could threaten public safety. 


The latest statement put the number of injured at 54 and confirmed that 18 people remained unaccounted for.


The ministry's statements came after residents reported hearing a loud boom in parts of Doha and surrounding areas.


One user responding to the Interior Ministry's statement on X said the blast shook homes and frightened families.


"Our house shook and the kids got scared, to be honest," the user wrote, adding: “May God ease the burden on those at the accident site.”


Other social media accounts claimed the explosion was felt beyond the immediate vicinity of the industrial zone, though authorities have not publicly commented on those reports.


Ras Laffan Industrial City is one of Qatar's largest industrial and energy hubs, hosting major liquefied natural gas and petrochemical facilities. Authorities said rescue and response operations were continuing at the site.