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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/17/bangkok-bomb-erawan-eyewitness-reports
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| Bangkok explosion witness: 'There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke' | Bangkok explosion witness: 'There was fire, shrapnel and so much smoke' |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Bangkok has been shaken by a massive explosion outside a Hindu temple in the city’s central commercial district. Police and medics have said at least 18 people are dead and 117 injured. | Bangkok has been shaken by a massive explosion outside a Hindu temple in the city’s central commercial district. Police and medics have said at least 18 people are dead and 117 injured. |
| We are collecting reports from witnesses. | We are collecting reports from witnesses. |
| 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 |
| Related: Bangkok explosion: fatal blast at Erawan shrine | Related: Bangkok explosion: fatal blast at Erawan shrine |
| Leify Porter, 27, from Sydney, Australia | Leify Porter, 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 where 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 where 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 |
| 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 centres. | 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 centres. |
| The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major high-rise hotel chains along the road. | The area is right in the heart of Bangkok, with major high-rise 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 |
| Richard Sri-kureja told BBC news | Richard Sri-kureja told BBC news |
| There was total chaos. They blocked off the area, everyone was running in totally different directions. | There was total chaos. They blocked off the area, everyone was running in totally different directions. |
| About five minutes later police and ambulances rushed to the scene. I counted around 20 ambulances. | About five minutes later police and ambulances rushed to the scene. I counted around 20 ambulances. |
| That area is usually very, very crowded as it’s in the middle of the city and it’s usually very packed. | That area is usually very, very crowded as it’s in the middle of the city and it’s usually very packed. |
| A local hotel is full of injured patients. I saw a family that was bleeding badly. | A local hotel is full of injured patients. I saw a family that was bleeding badly. |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| James Sales, a BBC producer, told BBC news | James Sales, a BBC producer, told BBC news |
| We all headed down to the street, and you could smell the cordite. You knew that a bomb had gone off. | We all headed down to the street, and you could smell the cordite. You knew that a bomb had gone off. |
| I managed to get a first aid kit from the office. As we got closer there were lots of bodies, one person had been cut in half. | I managed to get a first aid kit from the office. As we got closer there were lots of bodies, one person had been cut in half. |
| I went into the shrine. I saw at least nine people, unfortunately, who looked like they had died. I tried to administer CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] to one particular guy who was in his 40s. His family were with him. He didn’t make it. | I went into the shrine. I saw at least nine people, unfortunately, who looked like they had died. I tried to administer CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] to one particular guy who was in his 40s. His family were with him. He didn’t make it. |
| There were lots of people with horrific injuries. Scenes of distress and total shock.” | There were lots of people with horrific injuries. Scenes of distress and total shock.” |
| Grand Hyatt Erawan affected by Bomb Blast #BangkokBomb #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/PJ2tmMFfy8 | Grand Hyatt Erawan affected by Bomb Blast #BangkokBomb #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/PJ2tmMFfy8 |
| Derek Van Pelt, vice-president of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, told CTV News | Derek Van Pelt, vice-president of the Thai-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, told CTV News |
| [The response was] calm and collected. | [The response was] calm and collected. |
| Everything seemed to be working in a co-ordinated fashion. I’m really impressed with the resilience of the Thai people. | Everything seemed to be working in a co-ordinated fashion. I’m really impressed with the resilience of the Thai people. |
| It was clearly a very large explosion. Windows were shattered, there were definitely injured people around and several bodies were still on the scene.” | It was clearly a very large explosion. Windows were shattered, there were definitely injured people around and several bodies were still on the scene.” |
| Will Gavin, British tourist who arrived in Bangkok at the time of the explosion | Will Gavin, British tourist who arrived in Bangkok at the time of the explosion |
| My wife and I landed back into Bangkok just after 7pm. It’s been our base over the last three weeks whilst we’ve travelled around south-east Asia on our honeymoon. | My wife and I landed back into Bangkok just after 7pm. It’s been our base over the last three weeks whilst we’ve travelled around south-east Asia on our honeymoon. |
| I think it was too soon after the attack for the authorities to have reacted at the airport, but certainly our taxi driver had all the information. Our hotel is near the scene so we could see a lot of emergency vehicles and a cordon. | I think it was too soon after the attack for the authorities to have reacted at the airport, but certainly our taxi driver had all the information. Our hotel is near the scene so we could see a lot of emergency vehicles and a cordon. |
| We fly out Wednesday lunchtime back to the UK and we fully intend to stick to that flight but we did have plans to travel to the Golden Mount tomorrow – another popular tourist destination and temple – but both Sarah and I feel uneasy about it at the moment. | We fly out Wednesday lunchtime back to the UK and we fully intend to stick to that flight but we did have plans to travel to the Golden Mount tomorrow – another popular tourist destination and temple – but both Sarah and I feel uneasy about it at the moment. |
| [Our hotel] has had the coverage on but given no word of advice so far. I’ve checked the [UK] Foreign Office and there’s no advice to stay away from Bangkok. | [Our hotel] has had the coverage on but given no word of advice so far. I’ve checked the [UK] Foreign Office and there’s no advice to stay away from Bangkok. |
| Mairead Campbell, a BBC employee who is on holiday in Bangkok, told BBC News | Mairead Campbell, a BBC employee who is on holiday in Bangkok, told BBC News |
| Our hotel is very, very close to where the bomb went off. We heard a bang and went down to reception, where we were told not to leave. | Our hotel is very, very close to where the bomb went off. We heard a bang and went down to reception, where we were told not to leave. |
| We followed that advice – but an hour or two later we nipped outside. The scene was cordoned off and emergency people were still there. I’d describe the scene as chaotic. | We followed that advice – but an hour or two later we nipped outside. The scene was cordoned off and emergency people were still there. I’d describe the scene as chaotic. |
| We visited the shrine on Saturday. It’s the most central in Bangkok and hugely popular. | We visited the shrine on Saturday. It’s the most central in Bangkok and hugely popular. |
| Up until now I’ve felt very safe. We were only supposed to be staying in Bangkok for two days but extended our stay because we loved it so much. | Up until now I’ve felt very safe. We were only supposed to be staying in Bangkok for two days but extended our stay because we loved it so much. |
| We were just so lucky we stayed in the hotel for an afternoon nap rather than going outside. | We were just so lucky we stayed in the hotel for an afternoon nap rather than going outside. |
| Injured man taken to ambulance outside Hyatt pic.twitter.com/AU9HOvbfQk | Injured man taken to ambulance outside Hyatt pic.twitter.com/AU9HOvbfQk |