Delhi: Ambulance catches fire near Moti Bagh flyover, oxygen cylinder explodes

A CAT ambulance of Safdarjung Hospital caught fire near the Moti Bagh flyover in southwest Delhi on Thursday evening, triggering an explosion of an oxygen cylinder kept inside, police said. Preliminary inquiry suggested that the fire started due to a short circuit near the conductor-side seat of the ambulance, a police officer said.

A CAT ambulance of Safdarjung Hospital caught fire near the Moti Bagh flyover in southwest Delhi on Thursday evening, triggering an explosion of an oxygen cylinder kept inside, police said. No injuries were reported. A motorcycle was reduced to ashes in the incident. According to the police, the ambulance van was returning to Safdarjung Hospital after dropping a patient in Samalkha. It caught fire around 7.20 pm near the flyover. ''Preliminary inquiry suggested that the fire started due to a short circuit near the conductor-side seat of the ambulance,'' a police officer said. The driver immediately stopped the vehicle, but the flames rapidly engulfed the ambulance and caused a blast. ''A motorcycle parked nearby also caught fire and was completely burnt,'' said the officer. Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot, which put out the blaze. Crime team and forensic science laboratory (FSL) teams were called to inspect the spot.