At least 22 die in blast at concert in England
An explosion strikes at end of concert by American singer Ariana Grande in Manchester, injuring dozens in what police say is being treated as a terrorist attack.
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 Tuesday 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. The victims included children, police said.
Police cars, bomb-disposal units and 60 ambulances raced to the scene as the scale of the carnage became clear. Some 400 officers were deployed overnight to help with the investigation.
“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 transport 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 11-year-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 secondhighest rung on a five-point scale, meaning an attack is highly likely.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Online, supporters of the extremist Islamic State group, which holds territory in Iraq’s Mosul and around its de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, celebrated the blast.
One wrote: “May they taste what the weak people in Mosul and (Raqqa) experience from their being bombed and burned,” according to the U.S.based SITE Intelligence Group.
If the incident is confirmed as a terrorist attack, it would be the deadliest in Britain since four suicide bombers killed 52 London commuters on three subway trains and a bus in July 2005.
“A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena,” said concertgoer Majid Khan, 22. “It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit.”
Added Oliver Jones, 17: “The bang echoed around the foyer of the arena and people started to run.”
Video from inside the arena showed concertgoers screaming as they made their way out amid a sea of pink balloons.