BBC News
Published
image captionTwenty-two people died in the attack on 22 May 2017
One of the first police officers to arrive at the scene of the Manchester Arena attack has told a public inquiry he was desperate to get emergency responders in to treat the injured.
PC Edward Richardson said the incident should have been treated as a so-called warm zone , so responders could help.
With four firearms officers at the scene, he said he would not have forced anyone treating the injured leave. I m never going to tell them to leave and then watch people die, he said.
The firearms officer, who took on the role of Operational Firearms Commander on the night, said although he regarded the arena foyer area to be vulnerable to the threat of another bomb, he felt it was necessary responders could get in and treat the injured.
Specialist firefighters could have saved lives but were not sent to Manchester Arena bomb, public inquiry told
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Failure of process and communication on part of emergency services on night of bomb, Arena inquiry hears
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