Terrorist attack at the Ariana Grande concert – The Manchester Arena explosion killed 22 people including children, Police is investigating the case.
The Manchester Arena explosion at the Ariana Grande concert was caused by a terrorist attack that killed 22 people, among the victims, there are also children.
“What I can confirm is that there are children among the deceased.” said Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins.
The explosion at the Manchester Arena occurred while fans were leaving the Ariana Grande concert, at least 59 people were also injured. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device carried by the suicide attacker.
Law enforcement that is investigating the explosion at the Manchester Arena believe the blast was caused by one man “carrying an improvised explosive device, which he detonated causing this atrocity”, added Hopkins.
A bomb disposal robot is unloaded outside the Manchester Arena [Nigel Roddis/EPA] – Source Al Jazeera
Immediately after the blast, the Greater Manchester Police invited via Twitter people to stay away from the Manchester Arena area.to stay away from the Manchester Arena area.
“The incident took place outside the venue in a public space,” police said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims.”
“A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena,” concert-goer Majid Khan, 22, told Britain’s Press Association.
Catherine Macfarlane told the Reuters news agency the blast occurred while people was leaving the Manchester Arena after the concert was finished.
“We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming,” Macfarlane said.
“It was a huge explosion – you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out.”
“Victims described being thrown by the blast, which scattered nuts and bolts across the floor and told of seeing smoke and smelling burning in the foyer area.” reported The Telegraph.
This is the worst terror attack in the UK since the July 2005 suicide bomb attacks in central London in which 52 people were killed.
Police were called to reports of an explosion at 10.33pm, shortly after Grande, the US singer, had finished her performance as thousands of people streamed out of the Arena.
The incident comes ahead of a June 8 general election, the election campaigns halted in the wake of the terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena, Prime Minister Theresa May is chairing an emergency Cobra meeting at 9am.
It is maximum alert in the UK, the area nearby the Manchester Victoria Station remained closed to allow forensic investigators.
Police are inviting people that were at the Ariana Grande concert and witnesses to provide them information and footage from the scene of the blast in the attempt to identify the attackers.
According to Hopkins, the suicide attacker had died in the blast, but the police were investigating whether he had accomplices in the terrorist attack.
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Pierluigi Paganini
(Security Affairs – Manchester Arena explosion, terrorist attack)
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