On Monday night, an explosion erupted near the Red Fort metro station, resulting in a fire that engulfed several nearby vehicles. This incident, which occurred early Tuesday AEDT, sent shockwaves through the area as authorities began investigating the cause of the blast. Fire services quickly arrived on the scene to control the blaze and assess the damage.

Om Prakash Gupta, a resident in the vicinity of the explosion, recounted the moment the blast shook the neighborhood. “I was at home when I heard a loud explosion,” he explained. “I rushed out with my children and witnessed vehicles aflame and debris scattered everywhere.” He also described seeing a body on the windshield of a car, a grim testament to the blast’s impact.

Shahrukh, a cab driver in the area, was also caught off guard by the sudden explosion. “I heard a loud noise and instinctively got out of my car,” he said. “Like many others, I started running down the road, unsure of what was happening.”

A cab driver, who gave his name as just Shahrukh, said he heard a loud explosion.

“I came out of the car and started running along with others on the road,” he said.

A former imperial palace, the Red Fort is a major tourist attraction. Local media footage showed damaged vehicles and a police cordon at the site.

Sanjay Tyagi, a spokesman for the city’s police force, told the AP that at least eight people were killed, and several others injured.

“We are investigating the cause of the blast,” he said. The injured are being treated at a local government hospital.

Images from the scene showed some shattered windowpanes and mangled pieces of vehicles while plumes of fire billowing from the burning cars.

Home Minister Amit Shah told local media that a Hyundai i20 car exploded near a traffic signal close to the Red Fort. He said CCTV footage from cameras in the area will form part of the investigation.

“We are exploring all possibilities and will conduct a thorough investigation, taking all possibilities into account,” Shah said.

“All options will be investigated immediately, and we will present the results to the public.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on social media site X: “Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest.”

The 17th-century Red Fort monument is one of India’s most high-profile tourist attractions. Located six kilometres from the parliament, it is where Indian prime ministers deliver their annual Independence Day speeches on August 15.

The investigation is being conducted by the National Investigation Agency, India’s federal terror investigating agency, and other agencies.