Much is still unknown at this hour, but according to multiple reports, at least 20 people have been killed and hundreds injured after an explosion reportedly erupted toward the end of an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester arena.
According to the BBC, a “huge bang” was heard following the concert, leading to chaos inside the auditorium, where the crowd was estimated to be roughly 20,000.
More from the BBC:
Greater Manchester Police said there are a “number of confirmed fatalities and others injured”.
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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.
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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.
“There were lots of ambulances. I saw somebody being treated. I couldn’t tell what had happened to him.”
The video footage from inside the arena shows a chaotic scene of concertgoers– mostly young people – reacting to the explosion.
Video:
Video shows the scene at England’s Manchester Arena moments after reported explosions during Ariana Grande concert https://t.co/uIkSgHsDLG pic.twitter.com/P3H3bilOr5
— CNN (@CNN) May 22, 2017
A witness told BBC about the disturbing scene after the explosion, saying the “whole building shook” and there was “carnage everywhere.”
The Times notes that Ariana Grande is safe, but there has been no indication yet whether the explosion was accidental or terror-related.
According to The Sun, citing unconfirmed reports, the injuries suggest that the explosion could have been caused by “a nail bomb” and there have been “several arrests” around the city, but the situation is still developing at this hour.
Moments ago, NBC News reported, citing U.S. officials, that UK authorities increasingly believe the explosion was carried out by a suicide bomber.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
