A Delhi oxygen cylinder blast killed one worker and injured four others at a godown in Okhla Phase-I on Wednesday morning, prompting police to examine how commercial oxygen cylinders were stored, handled and transported at the premises.
NEW DELHI | September 9, 2026 — A PCR call about the explosion at D-23, Okhla Phase-I, was received by the Okhla Industrial Area police station at around 10.43am, police said. Teams reached the site and found a Tata 407 truck, registration number DL-1LAJ-3232, loaded with commercial oxygen cylinders.
According to the preliminary inquiry and a statement from the manager of SM Traders, one of the cylinders fell from the vehicle onto the road while workers were unloading it, after which it exploded. Police said only one cylinder exploded. The exact technical cause of the blast has not yet been established.
Mohit Singh, 35, a helper working with SM Traders, died at the spot. Singh was a resident of Jaipur and had been working with the firm for around three years, police said. Four other workers, identified as Umesh, Arvind, Manoj and Pankaj, sustained injuries and were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Police said their identities and medical condition were being verified.
The premises were being used as a godown by SM Traders, which is involved in trading and locally distributing industrial oxygen cylinders, according to the preliminary inquiry. The firm had reportedly been operating from the rented premises for around one to two years. Police said no oxygen-filling plant was found at the location.
The cylinders were reportedly received in filled condition from Ghaziabad through a supplier identified as Ram Avtar and then supplied to local traders and industries, particularly in the Okhla area. Police are verifying the ownership and agency of the cylinders, the source of supply, the supplier’s credentials and the statutory permissions and licences applicable to their storage, handling and transportation.
The site has been secured and further investigation is underway. Authorities have not yet announced the technical findings of the explosion or any decision on regulatory action against the firm.
