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AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry has expressed Jordan’s solidarity with Qatar following an explosion in the Ras Laffan Industrial City.
In a statement on Monday, ministry spokesperson Fuad Majali reaffirmed the Kingdom’s solidarity with the government and people of Qatar in the wake of the incident.
Majali also expressed wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured and for a safe return of those reported missing.
A huge blast at a Qatar gas hub killed 13 people and injured 66 others, the state's energy minister said on Monday, providing an update on one of the deadliest ever accidents at a Gulf energy facility.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, which Saad Al Kaabi said was "an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature,” AFP reported.
He announced "the tragic loss of 13 lives of our people who hold Indian and Pakistani nationalities. 66 people have been reported injured and are receiving medical treatment, none of whom are in life-threatening condition".
The interior ministry had said a "technical incident" caused the explosion late on Sunday in the Gulf emirate's Ras Laffan industrial zone.
The blast took place at a unit supplying gas to local firms and reverberated across the capital Doha.
"It will not affect anything regarding export. It will not affect anything regarding our local requirements," Kaabi said, adding that the explosion had "no environmental impact".
Qatar's state-owned energy company said the blast erupted "during the start-up of operations at Ras Laffan Industrial City, which resulted in an explosion and fire at Barzan local gas supply facility".
Late Sunday, QatarEnergy said the fire had been brought under control after emergency response teams were deployed.
Earlier, Qatar's interior ministry had described Sunday's incident as an "internal explosion" and a "technical malfunction".
