At least 8 dead in car blast near Red Fort in Delhi

A powerful car explosion near the Red Fort metro station in Delhi on Monday killed at least eight people and injured six others, prompting a massive emergency response.

The blast, which occurred in the congested Old Delhi area, sent a huge fireball into the air and left multiple vehicles mangled, with the force shattering windows of nearby cars.

Twenty fire tenders rushed to the scene where firefighters worked to douse the flames as thick smoke billowed from burning vehicles. The Delhi Police's Special Cell has cordoned off the area and launched an investigation.

Visuals from the site showed a vehicle completely destroyed by the blast, with another van nearby having its doors blown off. Shattered glass covered the area as emergency services worked at the scene.

"I saw a huge fireball from my terrace, and came running down to see what happened. The explosion was very loud," a local resident told media.

The injured have been rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital for treatment. The historic Red Fort, one of Delhi's most popular tourist destinations, remains under heightened security following the incident.