Blast at U.K. concert kills 22
At least 50 others injured by explosion at Ariana Grande concert
MANCHESTER, England — An explosion struck an Ariana Grande concert attended by thousands of young music fans in northern England, killing at least 22 people and injuring dozens in what police said early this morning was being treated as a terrorist attack.
Greater Manchester Police said 22 people were confirmed dead after the explosion at Manchester Arena. Northwest Ambulance Service said 59 injured people had been taken to hospitals, and a number of “walking wounded” were treated at the scene.
Police cars, bomb-disposal units and 60 ambulances raced to the scene as the scale of the carnage became clear.
“We are currently treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise,” said Ian Hopkins, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police.
There was panic after the explosion, which struck around 10:30 p.m. Monday night as Grande was ending the concert, part of her Dangerous Woman Tour.
Grande, who was not injured, tweeted hours later: “Broken. From the bottom of my heart, I am so so sorry. I don’t have words.”
Manchester Arena said on its website that the blast struck outside the venue as concertgoers were leaving. Some eyewitnesses said it happened in the foyer of the arena just after the concert ended.
One witness said Grande had just finished her final song and said “Thank you, Manchester,” before leaving the stage.
The incident led to a nightlong search for loved ones as parents tried to locate their teenage children and groups of friends scattered by the explosion sought to find one another.
Taxi services offered to give stranded concertgoers rides home for free, and residents opened their homes to provide lodging for people who could not get home because public transportation had shut down.
City officials said the true spirit of Manchester would shine through despite the horrendous incident.
Twitter and Facebook were filled with appeals for information about people who had not been accounted for.
Jenny Brewster said she was leaving the concert with her 11year-old daughter when the blast hit.
“As I turned around, boom, one loud noise,” she told Sky News. “A gentleman said ‘run!’ so we ran.”
Outside, she said, “you could smell the burning.”
Britain’s terrorist threat level stands at “severe,” the second-highest rung on a fivepoint scale, meaning an attack is highly likely.