Singapore. This is bbc world news. Its newsday. Hello, it is midnight here in london, 7am In Singapore and also of course the midnight in the city of Manchester Police are responding to what they say is a serious incident ata what they say is a serious incident at a Concert Venue. In the last few minutes, they have reported a number of fatalities. This happened at the manchester and arena at the end of a performance by american singer Ariana Grande. There were reports of loud bang. Police say they are investigating. They may have been explosions. It is not entirely clear what those banks were from eyewitnesses have said earlier they we re eyewitnesses have said earlier they were a number of casualties. The building is above a railway station. Train services have been suspended. Lets recap what we know because there are so many things at this stage which are unequivocal stop however, in the last few minutes, Manchester Police have confirmed that there are a number of fatalities. We are not sure how these people were killed and we do not, at this stage, know what those bangs were caused by. Witnesses were saying they felt what felt like a massive explosion. Everybody ran out of the Concert Venue but there has been the actual confirmed sources as to what these explosions were. 21,000 people were in the Ariana Grande concert. It had just finished and it was at that point that these bangs were heard and people ran, very fast, Out Of Manchester and arena. Ijoined by correspondence andy moore. What is clear about what has happened at this stage . The latest update from the police is a number of fatalities caused by an explosion, that is the information we have from police. The bbc has just heard from an eyewitness who was there who has given a very graphic account of what he saw. This Isa Man Graphic account of what he saw. This is a man who was waiting to collect his wife and daughter at the end of the concert. He was waiting outside the concert. He was waiting outside the venue and said there was a terrific explosion which blew him through the doors, he said. He said afterwards, in the immediate aftermath, he saw 20 or 30 people injured, some of them, he believed we re injured, some of them, he believed were dead. He said the whole building shook. He said there was carnage everywhere, he said many of those who were injured were young people, obviously going to a concert like this, a lot of them would have been very young. He said the source of The Explosion, as far as he could gather, was on the perimeter of the arena, not in the auditorium. He said it was neither box office. He was waiting outside the arena, or just inside. When he was hit by The Explosion. That seems to locate the scene of The Explosion as somewhere perhaps on the outskirts of the arena, the perimeter, rather than the auditorium itself. He also talked about a huge response by the Emergency Services. We know there was an explosion, whether it was some terrible accident, whether it was a long, whether it was criminal in intent, wejust dont know. Was a long, whether it was criminal in intent, we just dont know. We also heard very early on of big problems caused at the Manchester Victoria station very nearby. Whatever was happening inside was obviously having an impact. Thats right, the station is nearby. Heard early on that british transport, separate the police force, they were also involved. We heard reports that some lines were blocked on that station, whether that was a consequence of The Explosion, we dont know. There would have been a lot of delays. Certainly, whatever happened at the arena with affecting the train station very nearby. Happened at the arena with affecting the train station very nearbym happened at the arena with affecting the train station very nearby. It is such an early stage of what we know. Its not clear what the casualties have been caused by. Initially, we thought that some of the casualties might have been caused by people fighting in the hysteria and panic to get out of the arena and that might be still the case. We now have the updated information that obviously some of the injuries were caused by The Explosion, very serious injuries, caused by The Explosion. The auditorium has been closed and the Emergency Services are dealing with. There is a lot of fear and panic are dealing with. There is a lot of Fearand Panic and are dealing with. There is a lot of fear and panic and you can hear screams in that footage as people are trying to get out. Some people are trying to get out. Some people are talking about one explosion. Others talk about more than one explosion. Some people were convinced the exposure was inside the arena and then there were People Living in an Apartment Block nearby that said they heard The Explosion so that said they heard The Explosion so that suggests it may have been on the outside of the building. A lot of different reports. Some reports initially thought it might be a balloon going off or a speaker at the latest information which we are getting suggest its more serious than that. You mentioned, thousands of young people in there. This must be the most appalling and worrying time for their parents. The arena holds 21,000 people. We do not know how many people were there tonight. It may have been approaching that number. As you say, there were thousands of people, like the gentleman i spoke about, he said when he was caught up at those explosion, he looked around immediately to see if his wife and daughter were among them. They were actually safe. He obviously had great trouble contacting his loved ones and im sure they would have been a lot of people in similar circumstances. Probably people still trying to reach their loved ones in the circumstances and the chaos and confusion there at the moment. The chaos and confusion reflecting on social media. So many tweets from people inside and out asking what has happened. Is it possible to tell how easy it was for those thousands of people to leave the venue . M how easy it was for those thousands of people to leave the venue . If it was an orderly evacuation, it should have happened fairly quickly. I think, clearly, it was a disorderly evacuation. We have heard from eyewitnesses that there were fights and scuffles as people try to lead ina great and scuffles as people try to lead in a great hurry. It was not an orderly evacuation. It seems the arena was cleared fairly quickly because people were fearful for their lies and wanted to get out as soon their lies and wanted to get out as soon as their lies and wanted to get out as soon as they could. Fearful for their lives. This has been shed many, their lives. This has been shed any their lives. This has been shed many, many times on twitter, this footage. Just for anybodyjoining many, many times on twitter, this footage. Just for anybody joining us in the last few minutes. What do we know officially from Police Sources . This incident happened at the Manchester Arena at about 1016 local time, just as the concert by the american singer Ariana Grande was coming to an end. There was a loud explosion and according to greater Manchester Police, there have been a number of fatalities. They are not saying that number and they are not saying that number and they are not saying because of The Explosion. We have heard from one eyewitness that The Explosion was actually at a box office on the perimeter of the arena. That is why perhaps of the shots inside the arena, you cant see a source of an explosion and you cant see bodies lying around inside the arena, but as an eyewitness reports, the doors outside the arena, that eyewitness reported carnage. The Emergency Services are still dealing with the casualties. We have had no update on the number of casualties. According to eyewitnesses, in addition to the fatalities, there were a lot of people seriously injured. Thank you. Stay with us. We can talk to karen ford in manchester. You were at the concert with yourfamily . Manchester. You were at the concert with your family . My daughter and i attended this evening. My husband drove us and they were outside. We we re drove us and they were outside. We were just leaving the concept. Ariana grande had left, the lights had come up, everybody was getting out of their seats and walking towards the stairs. We all heard this huge sound which sounded like a explosion. And this was just after the end of the concept. What was people s reaction . The end of the concept. What was people s reaction . Everybodyjust stopped and turned around and somebody shouted, its a bomb everybody started running, people we re everybody started running, people were trying to push people up the stairs. There was a lady in a wheelchair trying to get away. She was absolutely hysterical, bless her, people were just pushing past her. I held them back while she actually got out of the stairwell. A person was with her. The problem was, a lot of children were there without parents. There was nobody to calm them down some which was just screaming and crying and pushing. There wasnt any smoke, there wasnt a flash. It literally was just a huge sound. Just a huge bang. And as far as you can tell, there was just a single bang . Yes, only one. There we re a single bang . Yes, only one. There were at the port of maybe a couple of explosions. My husband had a second one outside because they were outside. My husband heard. As he came out of the stairwell, everyone had just gone. It was just chaos, nothing was organised. There were shoes on the floor where people have ran. Shes had fallen off. It was absolutely awful. Karen, when you heard the noise, with their any doubt in your mind about what it might have been . I must say, i didnt ink it was a bomb because there was nothing else to go with it. I there was nothing else to go with it. I didnt there was nothing else to go with it. I didnt think. There was nothing else to go with it. I didnt think. It wasjust there was nothing else to go with it. I didnt think. It was just a huge bang in the left hand corner. As we came out, you could see people out of the building, all the Emergency Services, down the street you could hear the syahrin is and spend obviously when we got in the car to leave, we had the awful news that people have actually die today tonight we heard the sirens. That people have actually die today tonight we heard the sirens. And your husband heard something outside the venue, a double explosion . M could have been, yes. People have actually died tonight. Dew said people couldnt make their way out ina calm people couldnt make their way out in a calm fashion so, he said. |j said to children it was a balloon that went off, just to try and reassure people and keep people calm. We were being crushed as we we re calm. We were being crushed as we were going up the stairs and out through the doors. I wouldnt be surprised if people have been injured through the crush this evening. I was going to ask you, did it seem to you that people were being injured in the process of trying to leave the venue . Yes, yes. People, as they were running, had left the odd shoe just lying around where people were just running. Lots of stairs going up, going down. It was awful. Karen, whereas you now . What are you doing . We have just got back home, we live in sheffield. The people congregating outside the venue or were they trying to get away as quickly as possible . Allan some people are trying to get away. Some people were trying to get away. They were teenagers on phones trying to contact their parents. Pa rents trying to contact their parents. Parents crying on their phones so everybody was try to find each other. Did it seem like people were com pletely other. Did it seem like people were completely unaware of what was really going on or did it seem like a real atmosphere of confusion and panic . It was. A few people shouted it was a bomb and the Emergency Services were coming down the street and people thought there was obviously something seriously wrong. Did the members of the Emergency Services give any idea of what might have happened when people were asking them . Well, no, they were just asking people to move away from the building as quickly as possible. We did that. As soon as i met up with my husband, wejust we did that. As soon as i met up with my husband, we just carried we did that. As soon as i met up with my husband, wejust carried on walking and got as far away as possible, as quickly as possible. How are you now . Not too bad. I think reality has just sunk in that we have been to a pop concert which would have been a Family Affair and that people have died there tonight. Karen, thank you very much, carry and ford he was at the Ariana Grande concert with her family and ford he was at the Ariana Grande concert with herfamily karen ford. Tom mullin, can you tell us what you know . Im about ten minutes away from the arena. People are incredibly upset and disturbed, shaken. People are trying to make sense of what happened. People are picking a little bits of information from places, looking on their phones. I see many people in tea rs. Phones. I see many people in tears. I was talking to one mother who had two children with her. She said shejust who had two children with her. She said she just wants to get them home. She said she saw people covered in blood. People talked of seeing phones strewn around the place, people leaving their coats, heading through the doors and trying to get as far away as possible, really. People were talking about things in their minds, such as what happened at the bataclan last year. It is very panicky. Police response has been huge. The whole street of manchester were alive with flashing lights, helicopters. It has been a fast and speedy response. The response now it is just about reassuring people are given people away. Tom, please stay with us. Andy moore has an update. British transport police said that there was an explosion within the fallout at 10 30 p. M. Foyer. That confirms our Eyewitness Description from earlier. An explosion in the foyer area. Emergency services are at the scene area. Emergency services are at the scene and working to look for information. So no cause of The Explosion, but we have a Price Location for it. Please put it into context. This location of the arena, how close it is to the city centre, and its links with the rest of manchester. It is right next to victoria station, which is also affected. That is correct. It is just the north of the city it is quite close to the Northern Quarter of the city. Lots of bars and restau ra nts. Of the city. Lots of bars and restaurants. Lots of people milling around. It is quite early in the week, so it is a quiet night. You are right, it is next to victoria station, which, i understand, has been closed. Extremely central part of the city. This is a huge value. Something like 21,000 people were at the concert. Yes, i think that is about right. Venue. I am seeing a lot of young people, i am very surprised with the number of people with children come young people, here, with their parents or older guardians. It seems to have been very family orientated, tonight. Tom, is there any indication from Emergency Services outside the venue, any more detail on what we believe happened . Islamic venue, any more detail on what we believe happened . Islamic state im afraid not really. I am afraid, not really. The best thing is to watch for updates. With an incident like this, the First Priority will be looking after people and dealing with the injured and people who have died. Tom mullin, thank you for joining us. Thosejoining us, a recap of what we know at this stage has happened and what we know for sure. Yes, there were reports of an explosion at 1016 this evening at the Manchester Arena. Ariana grande had just finished her concert. A lot of young people there, children, at the concert. An indoor arena with a capacity of up to 21,000 people. Reports of an explosion. We now know a cornish British Transport Police said that explosion was in the foyer area. On the promoter of the arena. Promoter. We now know from British Transport Police. Perimeter. There have been a number of casualties and there is talk of a Casualty Bureau being open. So that suggests a number of injured and a number of fatalities. One witness said he was thrown off his feet and through the doors of the venue by the force of The Explosion. He saw 2030 the force of The Explosion. He saw 20 30 people injured, many believed we re 20 30 people injured, many believed were dead, many young. The cause of The Explosion, we do not know. Some people at the time certainly thought it was a bomb. We have had nothing from official sources. So we dont know at the moment if there was criminal intent behind it, or if it was a terrible accident of some sort. The way the information has come out within the last hour or so, you wonder if the panic could have been caused by something as simple asa been caused by something as simple as a balloon, by the display at such as a balloon, by the display at such a big concert . At the time, as you said, people responding that there we re said, people responding that there were balloons inside the venue. Some it was bitterly that there was panic, east area, it was bitterly that there was panic, eastarea, caused by it was bitterly that there was panic, east area, caused by balloons going. Other people thought it might have been some sort of speaker. But we can see the pictures inside the auditorium. Some said there was panic, in the area, caused by balloons going. None of the footage we have seen so far have shown any casualties. It now seems that is because The Explosion was at the ticket office, outside the stadium, where people may have been passing by, on their way out, and also, of course, as with one eyewitness from whom we heard, they were waiting to pick up their loved ones. So people waiting outside the arena at the same time. That might explain why the casualties figures are so high foran the casualties figures are so high for an explosion that was on the outside of the auditorium. Be witness that we were just waiting to come at the person who had taken her children to the concert, they said there was no sign of any steward to help people out as they were running out of the stadium . That is right. Some of the injuries were caused as people were leaving the arena are rapidly. We heard about some people having cut eyes, we heard about pushing and shoving. We heard about even a fight on the way out. It seems that it was a panic exit from the arena. It was not an orderly one. the arena. It was not an orderly one. Panicked exit. In these videos, i have not seen any steward sin videos, i have not seen any steward s in shot. It videos, i have not seen any steward sin shot. It might be that videos, i have not seen any steward s in shot. It might be that they are trying to organise the evacuation that people say was so chaotic, very confusing, very confusing, and it seems to be in charge of the situation. Stewards. We go to another eyewitness, and clive myrie has been speaking to somebody who witnessed the aftermath of The Explosion. Andy, youre waiting the aftermath of The Explosion. Ahdy. Youre waiting for the aftermath of The Explosion. Andy, youre waiting for Family Members at the concert . That is right. I did go to the concert. My wife and daughter did. I was at the first set of white doors. As i was waiting, an explosion went off, and it threw me through the first set of doors, about 30 feet, to the next set of doors. When i got up and walked around, there was about 30 people scattered everywhere. Some looked dead. Might have been unconscious. But there were a lot of fatalities. My first thing was to run in the stadium and look for my wife and daughter. One could not find them, i went back out, and with the police, fire, ambulances, i started looking through the bodies for my family. But luckily they were not there. I managed to find an outside the arena and got them back to the hotel. But i phoned up, because there were so many reports coming in that it was a balloon and things not happening like it was. It was definitely an explosion, and there were definitely a lot of fatalities. We are looking at the Police Statement from greater Manchester Police. They can find a lot of people have been saying. A number of fatalities have occurred asa number of fatalities have occurred as a result of this. They confirm. A lot of people have been told to avoid the area. This explosion, it blew you off your feet . I have been talking to one of the arena girls in the yellow coats while waiting. She and i got through the doors towards the wall where you go in. She got up, she was all right, i got up, looked around, and there was forced. My are still ringing now if i am talking loud. But the whole building shook. No doubt in your mind that this was some sort of destination . Some kind of device . Yes, definitely. Definitely an explosion. Right. You say that when you came to after getting blown off your feet, use bodies . People lying injured . Yes. A good 20 30. I stayed around for about 20 minutes while looking for my wife and daughter. I couldnt get on the phone. I was out with Emergency Services, with bandages and firstaid Emergency Services, with bandages and first aid and all that. And then my mother got a hold of me as they there will waiting down the road, so i left the area. And said that they were. It is shocking. Carnage everywhere. 20 30 people, you think, seriously injured . Yes. A good 20 30. Some were children. Some were elderly and disabled. Whoever has done it at eight childrens concert, because most of the people they would have been children. Done it at a childrens. There has been some suggestion that it was outside. But you say it was deftly outside . No, it was at the box office outside. Definitely outside. Though in the way into the arena, the main part of the arena . Yes. It shook the building. The trouble is in the ambulances, they cant get near, because it is their cases all around. People are not getting the trip that they need. What kind of screening might there have been for people going into the arena . Getting the treatment. Was there screening . I dont know, because i walk my family to the entrance at about 5 30pm, get in our early. Then i went to the hotel. My wife said it was just a i went to the hotel. My wife said it wasjust a quick look in i went to the hotel. My wife said it was just a quick look in your bag, and that was it. And your family are safe . And that was it. And your family are safe . Yes. They are gay. That has shaken up. They are obviously say they are not to another concert in their lives. They are ok. We have backin their lives. They are ok. We have back in the hotel now. You got up there especially for this . Yes. We got it in one of the christmas boxes. You know, a special thing, like. But i dont think she wants Something Like this again. Ijust hope they release names of people so that they can at least let family. Because there were so many people outside, panicking. Not knowing what was going on. That arena holds thousands of people, and there must bea thousands of people, and there must be a lot of people worried about their loved ones, if they knew they we re their loved ones, if they knew they were in the area at the time of The Explosion. Andy, thank you for joining us and for your recollections of what happened this evening. That was clive myrie talking to an eyewitness at the venue. We bring you up to date now with what we are learning the last hour or so. Greater Manchester Police say that a number of people have been killed and others injured in an explosion at the Manchester Arena. Witnesses have reported hearing a loud bang at the venue has Ariana Grande was performing. Her agent has reported that she is ok. My agent has reported that she is ok. My colleague, andy moore, a u are with me and it was a horrific night for anyone there . Yes. And he was an update from the northwest and the liz truss. They are saying on Twitter Thatjudah liz truss. They are saying on twitter that judah the incident liz truss. They are saying on Twitter Thatjudah the incident in manchester, please only call them for very serious incidences ambulance trust. They dont want to deal with anything unless it is an absolute emergency. It is worth reporting on what Manchester Police have said in a brief statement. They are saying on twitter that you too be. They mention casualties, but also mentioned a case of the bureau been set up. It says there that there was one explosion. Someone witnesses have said to. But according to the police, it is a single explosion. We heard from the British Transport Police, talking about an explosion in the and area, confirming what andy said about the exposure being near the ticket office, not in the main auditorium. The pictures that we see now, it shows the pictures are, police and Emergency Service response was enormous. Just the whole street eliminated by blue lights, all around the area. Yes, you can imagine, and though this has not been confirmed, i am sure this was declared a major incidents to make incident early on. Why ambulances and police or when. Notjust the original police force but also the British Transport Police
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