New Delhi: Witnesses described scenes of chaos and panic after the car explosion near Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi on Monday, with body parts strewn across the road and multiple vehicles consumed by flames in quick succession.
The blast was reported at the site of a car, suspected to have been parked near a traffic signal, at 6:50pm near Gate No. 1 of the metro station. It set off a chain reaction, engulfing at least seven other vehicles, including a small truck and an e-rickshaw.
The explosion triggered panic in the busy neighbourhood.
Mohsin Ali, a resident, said he heard a loud thud before smoke and ash engulfed the area. “Before I could realise what happened, one person dropped dead in front of me,” he said. “When I reached, the fire had spread and consumed everything. After the first explosion, two more cars burst into flames.”
Rajdhar Pandey, who lives nearby, said the blast was powerful enough to rattle his home. “There was a loud explosion. My windows shook. I saw flames from my house and rushed to the scene,” he told news agency ANI.
A shopkeeper, still visibly shaken, recounted the terror of those moments. “I never heard such a loud explosion in my life. I fell three times due to the impact. It felt as if we were all going to die,” he said.
Nazar, a 12-year-old ragpicker who rushed to the spot, described the grim scene. “I saw an e-rickshaw in flames and one person was already dead. It appeared as if a rod went through him. Another who died had heavy burns,” he said.
One resident said body parts were strewn across the road. “When we came near, we saw body parts spread on the road. No one could figure out what happened. Several cars have been damaged,” he said.
Deputy chief fire officer AK Malik said seven fire units brought the blaze under control by 7:29pm. A team from Delhi Police’s Special Cell arrived at the site to investigate.
B.L. Chaudhary, medical director of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, said eight people died before reaching the hospital. Dozens were injured in the blast.