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Deaths confirmed after Manchester Arena blast reports | Deaths confirmed after Manchester Arena blast reports |
(35 minutes later) | |
A number of people have died and others have been injured following a reported explosion at Manchester Arena. | |
Witnesses reported hearing a "huge bang" following a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande. | |
Greater Manchester Police said there are a "number of confirmed fatalities and others injured". | |
Witnesses said they heard two loud bangs, reported to be near the ticket office of the arena. The cause of the reported explosion is unknown. | |
Manchester Victoria station, which is close to the concert venue, has been closed and all trains cancelled. | |
Greater Manchester Police tweeted to urge people to stay away from the area. | Greater Manchester Police tweeted to urge people to stay away from the area. |
Manchester explosion: Latest updates | |
'Screaming and running' | 'Screaming and running' |
The BBC's Tim Ashburn, who is at the scene, spoke to some volunteer paramedics who treated the injured for "shrapnel-like injuries". | |
A number of eyewitnesses have described the confusion in the aftermath. | A number of eyewitnesses have described the confusion in the aftermath. |
Andy Holey, who had gone to the arena to pick up his wife and daughter who had been at the concert, said: "As I was waiting, an explosion went off and it threw me about 30 feet from one set of doors to the other set of doors. | |
"When I got up I saw bodies lying on the ground. My first thought was to go into the Arena to try to find my family. | |
"When I couldn't find them, I went outside with the police and fire and looked through some of the bodies to try and find my wife and daughter. | |
"I managed to find them eventually and they're OK. | |
"It was definitely an explosion and it was some force. It happened near the box office at the entrance to the Arena." | |
Robert Tempkin, 22, from Middlesbrough, said: "Everyone was screaming and running, there were coats and people's phones on the floor. People just dropped everything. | Robert Tempkin, 22, from Middlesbrough, said: "Everyone was screaming and running, there were coats and people's phones on the floor. People just dropped everything. |
"Some people were screaming they'd seen blood but other people were saying it was balloons busting or a speaker had been popped. | "Some people were screaming they'd seen blood but other people were saying it was balloons busting or a speaker had been popped. |
"There were lots of ambulances. I saw somebody being treated. I couldn't tell what had happened to him." | "There were lots of ambulances. I saw somebody being treated. I couldn't tell what had happened to him." |
Josh Elliott, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, said he was shocked by news of the fatalities. | Josh Elliott, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, said he was shocked by news of the fatalities. |
"A bang went off and everyone stopped and screamed... we basically hit the deck," he said | "A bang went off and everyone stopped and screamed... we basically hit the deck," he said |
"It was bedlam… it was horrific. | "It was bedlam… it was horrific. |
"We got up when we thought it was safe and got out as quickly as possible. | "We got up when we thought it was safe and got out as quickly as possible. |
"People were just crying and in tears... police cars were everywhere. | "People were just crying and in tears... police cars were everywhere. |
"We just wanted to get out as quickly as possible because we didn't know what was going on." | "We just wanted to get out as quickly as possible because we didn't know what was going on." |
The background - Ian Youngs, BBC News entertainment reporter | |
Manchester Arena, formerly known as the MEN Arena, is the biggest indoor venue in the city with a capacity of around 18,000 for concerts. | |
The arena foyer connects with Victoria train and tram station, a major hub on the northern edge of the city centre. | |
The arena regularly hosts concerts by major stars like Ariana Grande - a 23-year-old American TV teen actress-turned-pop star. | |
She's a big draw for young fans, with hits including Problem, featuring Iggy Azalea, which hit number one in the UK in 2014; and Side To Side, featuring Nicki Minaj, which reached number four last year. | |
She's currently on a European tour - she's already played Birmingham and Dublin and is due to be at the O2 Arena in London on Wednesday and Thursday. | |
Michelle Sullivan, from Huddersfield, was attending the concert with her daughters, aged 12 and 15. | |
"It was really scary," she said. "Just as the lights have gone down we heard a really loud explosion... Everybody screamed. | |
"When we got out they just said 'keep on running, keep on running'." | |
Pat Carney, Manchester City Council's spokesman for the city centre, said the city's thoughts were with the families of those killed and injured. | |
"It's a very easy target - a concert hall where young people are enjoying music," he said. | |
"The public are really co-operating by staying away from what is basically now a crime site. | |
"The world we live in, police and the council have emergency procedures that we practise all the time. | |
"Obviously everyone in the city is shocked, having seen how young some of these people are | |
"The police are treating it as a live site, we don't know if this is the end or there are other incidents in that area... we don't know at the moment." |