Explosions rattled a concert arena in Manchester, England Monday night at the end of pop star Ariana Grande’s performance. British Transport Police reported 19 deaths and at least 50 injuries. Emergency crews rushed to the scene as hundreds of fans fled.
Around 10:45 p.m., the police confirmed at least one explosion at the foyer of the arena. However, bystanders reported at least two or three blasts. The cause is suspected to be a possible suicide bombing and is being treated as terrorism. This occurrence evoked the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, which also happened in a concert arena.
Grande had just finished her last song when the blasts went off during the concert of mostly teenage attendees.
“There was an explosion behind us at the back of the arena,” concertgoer Sasina Akhtar told the Manchester Evening News. “We saw young girls with blood on them, everyone was screaming and people were running. There was lots of smoke.”
David Richardson attended the show with his 13-year-old daughter. He told the MEN that he heard two explosions right behind him just after the show.
“It was about 40 feet behind us near one of the exits,” Richardson said. “We just thought it was people messing about then it happened again. Another explosion sounded. Then we saw the smoke. Everyone just fled.”
Oliver Jones, a 17-year-old witness, said he was in the bathroom when he heard “a loud bang.”
“The bang echoed around the foyer of the arena and people started to run,” Jones said. “I (saw) people running and screaming towards one direction and then many were turning around to run back the other way. Security was running out as well as the fans and concert goers.”
Spokesman Joseph Carozza said Grande, who was performing as part of her “Dangerous Woman” tour, is “okay.”
Bianca Landrieu, the Boston hiphop star known as Bia, was also performing with Grande. Shortly after the explosion, she tweeted, “Guys we are okay!!!”
The Manchester Victoria transit station, which sits underneath the arena, closed all lines headed toward the station and evacuated its premises. Greater Manchester Police have warned people to stay away from the area while it is under investigation.
