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| Deadly Explosions Bring Brussels Airport to a Halt | Deadly Explosions Bring Brussels Airport to a Halt |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BRUSSELS — Two explosions killed at least one person and forced the evacuation of Brussels Airport around 8 a.m. on Tuesday, according to the authorities and news reports, and another explosion was reported at a metro station in the city. | |
| The sources of the blasts were unclear, as was the number of wounded, though a witness told CNN that he had seen people at the airport being taken away on luggage carts, and photographs on social media showed people streaked with blood and soot, looking stunned but conscious. | |
| Other images posted on social media showed smoke rising from the departure hall, where the windows had been blown out, and people running away from the building. Hundreds were herded outside, and all arrivals and departures from the airport were halted. | |
| “We are trying to know more about what is going on,” said Anke Fransen, a spokeswoman for the airport. “It is certain there are several victims in our departure hall.” | “We are trying to know more about what is going on,” said Anke Fransen, a spokeswoman for the airport. “It is certain there are several victims in our departure hall.” |
| The explosion on the metro network took place at the Maelbeek station in Brussels, which is close to European Union institutions, according to the Belgian broadcaster RTBF. The Brussels transport authority said on Twitter that all metro stations were closing. | |
| “For the moment, what we know is that there was at least one, possibly two explosions, we are still investigating,” said Sandra Eyschen, a spokeswoman for the Belgian federal police. “There are several injured, we don’t have any exact numbers, and unfortunately it appears there are some dead, at least one person.” | |
| Belgium quickly raised its threat level to the maximum, The Associated Press reported, citing the interior minister, Jan Jambon. | |
| The roads to the airport were closed, and train service there was suspended. The airport authorities posted a message on Twitter warning people to stay away. | The roads to the airport were closed, and train service there was suspended. The airport authorities posted a message on Twitter warning people to stay away. |
| A number of flights destined for Brussels that were in the air at the time of the blasts were being diverted to other airports, said Kyla Evans, a spokeswoman for Eurocontrol, the agency that coordinates air traffic for the region. | |
| Belgium has emerged as a focus of counterterrorism investigators after the attacks in Paris in November that left 130 people dead. | Belgium has emerged as a focus of counterterrorism investigators after the attacks in Paris in November that left 130 people dead. |
| Last week, the authorities in Brussels arrested Salah Abdeslam, the most wanted man in Europe, who is believed to be the sole remaining survivor of the 10 people who were directly involved in the Paris attacks. | Last week, the authorities in Brussels arrested Salah Abdeslam, the most wanted man in Europe, who is believed to be the sole remaining survivor of the 10 people who were directly involved in the Paris attacks. |
| On Monday, the Belgian authorities asked for the public’s help in finding Najim Laachraoui, 24, who they identified as an accomplice of Mr. Abdeslam. | On Monday, the Belgian authorities asked for the public’s help in finding Najim Laachraoui, 24, who they identified as an accomplice of Mr. Abdeslam. |