Delhi car blast: Never heard such a loud explosion, say locals

At least eight people were killed and seven others were injured in a blast in a parked car near the Red Fort in Delhi on Monday. Several other cars also caught fire following the blast in the parked car, officials said.

According to police, the blast took place near Gate 1 of the Red Fort Metro station. A high alert has been sounded across Delhi following the incident.

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The Medical Superintendent of the nearby Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital told news agency ANI that at least 15 people were brought to the hospital, out of which eight were declared brought dead. Of the seven injured, three are in a serious condition.

Other reports said at least 24 people were injured.

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Several people in the area spoke to the media and described the scenes of horror.

“…When we came near, we saw body parts spread on the road. No one could figure out what happened. Several cars have been damaged…” a local told ANI.

A local shopkeeper was quoted as saying, “I never heard such a loud explosion ever in my life. I fell three times due to the explosion. It felt as if we were all going to die…”

Another local resident, Rajdhar Pandey, was quoted as saying that he saw the flames from his house and then came down to see what had happened. “There was a loud explosion. I live nearby,” he told reporters.

Senior Delhi Police officials, including the commissioner, rushed to the spot following the blast near the Red Fort (Lal Qila).

Fire tenders and ambulances were also rushed to the spot after a call was received around 6.55 pm regarding the explosion in a car. The Delhi Fire Service said three to four other vehicles also caught fire and sustained damage following the blast.