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| Bangkok explosion witness: 'There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bangkok has been shaken by a massive explosion outside a Hindu temple in the city’s central commercial district. Police have said at least 18 people are dead and 80 injured. | Bangkok has been shaken by a massive explosion outside a Hindu temple in the city’s central commercial district. Police have said at least 18 people are dead and 80 injured. |
| We are collecting reports from witnesses. | We are collecting reports from witnesses. |
| Related: Bangkok explosion: fatal blast at Erawan shrine | Related: Bangkok explosion: fatal blast at Erawan shrine |
| Leify, 27, from Sydney, Australia | Leify, 27, from Sydney, Australia |
| My boyfriend John and I were crossing the sky bridge near the Intercontinental Hotel, and we heard this explosion directly beneath us. We fell to the ground. The blast was so big, there was so much smoke and the fire came up so high. There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke. The whole ground and everything shook. I thought everyone was going to fall. We couldn’t see anything around us. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. | My boyfriend John and I were crossing the sky bridge near the Intercontinental Hotel, and we heard this explosion directly beneath us. We fell to the ground. The blast was so big, there was so much smoke and the fire came up so high. There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke. The whole ground and everything shook. I thought everyone was going to fall. We couldn’t see anything around us. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. |
| After the blast, we ran down the stairs. We saw people crawling around the road with missing limbs. People’s bodies were scattered, their legs were torn off and there was blood everywhere. Everyone was running. It was quite chaotic. Our ears were ringing and our heads hurt. People didn’t know whether to run or help. | After the blast, we ran down the stairs. We saw people crawling around the road with missing limbs. People’s bodies were scattered, their legs were torn off and there was blood everywhere. Everyone was running. It was quite chaotic. Our ears were ringing and our heads hurt. People didn’t know whether to run or help. |
| We were there before the paramedics arrived. John was going to go closer and wanted to help, but I kept telling him we had to get out of there. There were clearly dead bodies lying around but no-one went near them. I saw at least 12 injured people, and at least three dead bodies lying on the road. | We were there before the paramedics arrived. John was going to go closer and wanted to help, but I kept telling him we had to get out of there. There were clearly dead bodies lying around but no-one went near them. I saw at least 12 injured people, and at least three dead bodies lying on the road. |
| We didn’t go to the hospital. We were going to but my brother in the UK said there were other bombs. As soon as I got the text we turned back. We were frightened and didn’t want to travel. The pain in our ears is quite bad. It feels like pressure. I’ve never felt anything like it. John described what happened as a pull in the air. The feeling in the ears was so intense. And then ringing. | We didn’t go to the hospital. We were going to but my brother in the UK said there were other bombs. As soon as I got the text we turned back. We were frightened and didn’t want to travel. The pain in our ears is quite bad. It feels like pressure. I’ve never felt anything like it. John described what happened as a pull in the air. The feeling in the ears was so intense. And then ringing. |
| I was crying for a while. We’re now in our hotel which is a three minute walk away from were the bomb exploded. The hotel has said if we want a doctor they’ll help. | I was crying for a while. We’re now in our hotel which is a three minute walk away from were the bomb exploded. The hotel has said if we want a doctor they’ll help. |
| Tamar Johnson, 20, British tourist staying nearby | Tamar Johnson, 20, British tourist staying nearby |
| Related: Bangkok bomb blast: 16 killed in explosion 'inside Erawan shrine' – live | Related: Bangkok bomb blast: 16 killed in explosion 'inside Erawan shrine' – live |
| Me and my sister were in the sky bar at the Lebua hotel when we heard a huge explosion. At first we thought it was just thunder because there’s been electrical storms all day so we didn’t think much of it. | Me and my sister were in the sky bar at the Lebua hotel when we heard a huge explosion. At first we thought it was just thunder because there’s been electrical storms all day so we didn’t think much of it. |
| Then my mum phoned me from the hotel. She was shouting about a bomb so we sprinted back to our hotel. It was chaos – people were running around and there were police and ambulances everywhere. | Then my mum phoned me from the hotel. She was shouting about a bomb so we sprinted back to our hotel. It was chaos – people were running around and there were police and ambulances everywhere. |
| I’m almost certain we heard another explosion when we were running back. It’s terrifying. We got back and met up with Mum and Dad –obviously it was a huge relief to see them again. | I’m almost certain we heard another explosion when we were running back. It’s terrifying. We got back and met up with Mum and Dad –obviously it was a huge relief to see them again. |
| Now we’re on the 23rd floor and we’re all together waiting for it to calm down. It’s really scary! The hotel staff are looking after us but they’ve closed the doors and told us not to leave until we hear anything else. | Now we’re on the 23rd floor and we’re all together waiting for it to calm down. It’s really scary! The hotel staff are looking after us but they’ve closed the doors and told us not to leave until we hear anything else. |
| Oliver Holmes, south-east Asia correspondent for the Guardian | Oliver Holmes, south-east Asia correspondent for the Guardian |
| There are dozens of ambulances at the major crossing where the explosion happened. On the road there are mangled scooters and shards of glass. | There are dozens of ambulances at the major crossing where the explosion happened. On the road there are mangled scooters and shards of glass. |
| The area is a central shopping district and the raised metro station nearby has been closed. | The area is a central shopping district and the raised metro station nearby has been closed. |
| I arrived on the metro and everyone on board gasped as they passed the blast site, which could be seen from the train. Almost everyone in my carriage was trying to call others on their phones and looking at photos of the scene on social media. | I arrived on the metro and everyone on board gasped as they passed the blast site, which could be seen from the train. Almost everyone in my carriage was trying to call others on their phones and looking at photos of the scene on social media. |
| I saw three police with torches at the nearby Royal Thai police station looking under bushes and walking the grounds in an apparent effort to search for other bombs. | I saw three police with torches at the nearby Royal Thai police station looking under bushes and walking the grounds in an apparent effort to search for other bombs. |
| Police and the fire brigade have cordoned off the area with tape. Hundreds of onlookers but mostly police and some journalists. Everyone jumped when thunder clapped above. | Police and the fire brigade have cordoned off the area with tape. Hundreds of onlookers but mostly police and some journalists. Everyone jumped when thunder clapped above. |
| There is a hospital right next to the blast site but there is a long line of ambulances and so other ambulances are taking wounded to other medical centers. | There is a hospital right next to the blast site but there is a long line of ambulances and so other ambulances are taking wounded to other medical centers. |
| The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major highrise hotel chains along the road. | The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major highrise hotel chains along the road. |
| The blast was so strong. Windows on 5th floor on nearby building shattered pic.twitter.com/i2vjIWUfBh | The blast was so strong. Windows on 5th floor on nearby building shattered pic.twitter.com/i2vjIWUfBh |
| Thanapon Peng, 25, marketer | Thanapon Peng, 25, marketer |
| I saw glass. I saw some organs of people on the road. I don’t know how many people there were. | I saw glass. I saw some organs of people on the road. I don’t know how many people there were. |
| Staff from the Grand Hyatt hotel told me to go into the hotel. I’m waiting here to see if it is safe to leave. | Staff from the Grand Hyatt hotel told me to go into the hotel. I’m waiting here to see if it is safe to leave. |
| I heard that about 80 people are wounded but we don’t know how many died. | I heard that about 80 people are wounded but we don’t know how many died. |
| Deputy gov spokesman Sansern said the #BangkokBlast was most likely politically motivated pic.twitter.com/QAfrwNokO8 | Deputy gov spokesman Sansern said the #BangkokBlast was most likely politically motivated pic.twitter.com/QAfrwNokO8 |
| 21.05น.EOD เดินตรวจพ.ท.โดยรอบจุดเกิดเหตุ รอบราชประสงค์ พร้อมสุนัขดมกลิ่น #pptvhd pic.twitter.com/3NyXKfeLQs | 21.05น.EOD เดินตรวจพ.ท.โดยรอบจุดเกิดเหตุ รอบราชประสงค์ พร้อมสุนัขดมกลิ่น #pptvhd pic.twitter.com/3NyXKfeLQs |