Red Fort blast survivors recount chaos and terror as explosion kills 9, injures 20

A powerful explosion near Gate No. 1 of Delhi’s Red Fort (Lal Qila) Metro Station on November 10 evening sent shockwaves through one of the city’s busiest corridors, killing at least nine people and injuring 20 others.

The blast, which tore through a parked car, ignited several vehicles, shattered street lights, and triggered panic across the area surrounding the iconic Mughal-era monument.

“The blast was so intense it felt like the earth caved in. I thought I was going to die,” said an eyewitness, recalling how he fell three times while trying to flee the scene. “People were running over each other. Everyone thought a second explosion was coming.”

The car erupted into flames moments after the explosion, engulfing five to six nearby vehicles before firefighters brought the blaze under control. According to the Delhi Fire Department, the first call came in around 6.55 pm. Seven fire tenders and 15 CAT ambulances were immediately deployed.

From rooftops and shopfronts, residents watched the flames shoot upward. “I heard a loud explosion and saw a huge ball of fire,” said another witness. “The blast shook the windows of my house.”

The national capital was placed on high alert shortly after the incident.

While investigators are still determining the cause of the explosion, the blast comes just hours after Delhi Police busted an interstate terror module linked to banned outfits and seized more than 2,900 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate — a key component for manufacturing powerful IEDs. Officials have said the module intended to deploy hundreds of explosive devices across the city.

For those who witnessed the blast at Red Fort, the fear was immediate and overwhelming. “We just kept running,” said one. “All we could think of was surviving whatever came next.”