Red Fort explosion heard afar; ‘felt like bomb attack’

The blast occurred at 6.52pm near a traffic signal between Gates 1 and 4 of the Red Fort Metro station

The explosion outside Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening was so powerful that people hundreds of metres away reported hearing a deafening boom and seeing a flash of red light tear through the night. Within seconds, the usual frenzy at the intersection in front of Chandni Chowk turned into a scene of carnage with body parts scattered on the road, cars engulfed in flames, and terrified people running for their lives.

Delhi Fire Services officials douse the flames while police personnel take stock of the situation at the explosion site on Monday night. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Residents as far as Daryaganj said that glass panes in their homes rattled, even as windows shattered in nearby homes and shops. Witnesses at the scene of the blast said the force of the explosion flung people into the air. Some even claimed to have seen body parts hurled more than 200 metres away – one reportedly landing on a ferris wheel near the fairground.

“I have never heard such a loud explosion in my life,” said Md Sameem, a shopkeeper from Kabootar Market, about 200 metres from the site. “I fell thrice because of the shockwave. There was red light everywhere. We saw burnt bodies, burnt cars everywhere. I was near metro station. Even inside Jain mandir, windows were shaking. Our shops were shaking. It felt like a bomb attack.”

Others, like Bhupender Singh from Noida, narrowly escaped death. “My commercial vehicle was barely 10 feet behind the car that exploded. The light had just turned green when the blast happened. I ran without looking back. Even from a kilometre away, I saw the fireball. I could feel the heat on my back. My vehicle was gone. I’m sure it has burnt.”

Blast near Red Fort: What we know

The blast occurred at 6.52pm near a traffic signal between Gates 1 and 4 of the Red Fort Metro station, police said. The vehicles were moving from Daryaganj towards Netaji Subhash Marg when a white Hyundai i20 exploded. Within moments, the fire spread to other vehicles waiting at the signal. A DTC electric bus nearby was also damaged.

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said at least eight people were killed instantly, and over 20 others were injured. Eleven vehicles were completely gutted. “We received a call at 6.55 p.m. and sent seven fire units. The blaze was brought under control by 7.29pm,” said DFS deputy chief AK Malik.

Eyewitnesses said even policemen nearby ducked for cover before rushing to rescue the injured.

Mohsin Ali, a resident of Daryaganj, who was nearby, said he heard a “loud thud” before smoke enveloped the area. “Before I could understand anything, someone fell dead right in front of me. Within seconds, two more cars burst into flames. The entire sky turned into a red fireball. The heat was unbearable. We were scared to even touch the bodies.”

Another Daryaganj resident said: “I heard a big blast sort of noise and was curious to know. That’s when I left my home. But cops were moving everyone out and emptying the area. That’s when we knew something huge has happened.”

Rajdhar Pandey, who lives a few lanes away, said the blast shook his entire house. “My windows rattled and I saw flames rising. When I rushed out, the police were trying to help, but the fire was too intense,” he said.

Among those who first reached the site was 27-year-old security guard Dharminder, who was returning from Chandni Chowk. “I saw the car burst and ran towards it along with two policemen. We pulled out burnt bodies. I must have helped put at least four in ambulances,” he said.

Prem Sharma, 38, who runs a chole bhature stall across the road, said he saw the car explode as one of his workers prepared an order. “My worker’s hand caught fire, and both my stalls were overturned by the blast. I saw body parts fly out. I hid behind the metro station until police arrived,” said Sharma, who lives in Paharganj.

Nazar, a 12-year-old ragpicker, said: “I saw an e-rickshaw in flames and one person was already dead. It appeared as if a rod went through him.”

For many in the crowd, the rescue efforts were desperate and chaotic.

“The ambulance hadn’t reached yet, so people lifted bodies in their arms, put them in autos, and rushed to the hospital,” said Raja, a shopkeeper in the area. “Even policemen and locals were crying. It was impossible to tell who was dead and who was alive.”

A vendor who sells water near Gauri Shankar Mandir said the smoke made it impossible to see anything. “There was thick black smoke and fire everywhere. I saw a leg and a few fingers on the ground,” he said, pointing to his shoes, stained brown from dried blood.