Car explodes near historic Red Fort in Indian capital New Delhi, killing at least 8 people

New Delhi — A car exploded Monday near the historic Red Fort in the Indian capital, killing at least eight people, injuring several others and sparking a fire that damaged several vehicles parked nearby, New Delhi police said.

Several fire engines rushed to the scene after the explosion was reported near one of the doors of the Fort Rouge metro station, the city’s firefighters said. The cause of the explosion remains unclear.

Sanjay Tyagi, a city police spokesman, told The Associated Press that at least eight people were killed and several others injured. “We are investigating the cause of the explosion,” he said.

A former imperial palace, the Red Fort is a major tourist attraction in New Delhi. Local media released video showing damaged vehicles and a police cordon at the site.

A witness who lives near the site told NDTV that he heard a “sound of breaking windows” and then saw flames engulfing several vehicles.