DOHA, 20 March 2005 — At least 60 people were injured in a massive explosion at a British theater near a British school in the Qatari capital yesterday evening.
The explosion that occurred at the Doha Player Theater near the Doha English School was so powerful that it could be heard virtually all over the tiny capital city, residents reported.
The blast occurred in an area where the US Embassy used to be located before the mission moved to new premises.
Police cordoned off the area immediately after the blast which sent plumes of smoke rising from the site in the sleepy capital. Dozens of ambulances were seen ferrying the injured to hospital
“I believe there are some people injured,” British Charge D’Affaires Eric Mattey said, adding that it was not still clear if the blast was “a criminal act. We are waiting for the police report.”
A medical source said “dozens of people were injured,” but independent sources put the figure at “at least 60”. It was not known if anyone was killed in the blast. The nationalities of the injured people were also not known immediately. But most of the people attending the play at the theater were foreigners.
Al-Jazeera TV aired footages showing fires from the blast and said it occurred “near a foreign school” while a play was under way inside the establishment.
The satellite news channel said a blaze broke out in the building and the blast set some cars in the area on fire.
A witness said a small building near the school had been damaged but the school itself did not appear to have been hit.
