Eyewitnesses recall ‘chaos’ after arena blast

– There was a blast and then chaos as young fans of US pop star Ariana Grande fled in panic and parents searched frantically for their children after a suicide bomb ripped through the foyer of the Manchester Arena, leaving 22 people dead.

Grande had just finished her sold-out gig, releasing giant pink balloons from the ceiling as part of the finale, when the bomb went off.

“We heard a loud explosion and we weren’t sure what it was at first. People were saying it was a balloon popping or a speaker just overriding and busting,” said Sebastian Diaz, a 19-year-old who attended the concert.

“People started to push their way forward and we realised something wasn’t right. People around us were just screaming, crying.

“There were fathers carrying their little girls who were in tears. People were being pushed down the stairs. It was just chaos.”

Heartbroken mother Charlotte Campbell said she had not yet been able to find her daughter.

“I can’t get through to her. I’ve called the hospitals, I’ve called all the places,” she said.

“I’ve called the police. There’s no news, I’ve just got to wait.”

Videos posted on social media showed thousands of youngsters fleeing from the arena, situated in the north of Manchester city centre, in a state of panic and confusion as sirens rang out from emergency services. – AFP