An emergency number is available for those who are concerned about loved ones or anyone who may have been in the area - 0161 856 9400
Casualty figures update: Now 59
Posted at 21:23 IN LONDON BY THE BBC
The North West Ambulance Service has given an update on the number of casualties from the Manchester Arena explosion.
https://twitter.com/NWAmbulance
Update: 22 dead is the new number of fatalities, some were younger children.
UPDATE: A NEARBY MANCHESTER MALL HAS BEEN EVACUATED, BUT SO FAR, NO THREAT DETECTED.
9:09 PM, U.S. CENTRAL TIME, MAY 22, 2017
UPDATES WILL BE POSTED AS COMMENTS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW THIS BLOG ENTRY.
THAT MAKES FOR EASIER, FASTER UPDATES.
AS OF NOW, IT IS A 'SUSPECTED TERRORIST ATTACK"...
UNTIL THE POLICE ISSUE A CALL NUMBER FOR FAMILIES OF THOSE ATTENDING THE CONCERT, FACEBOOK HAS ACTIVATED ITS "SAFETY CHECK", SO TRY THAT IF YOUR LOVED ONES HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT.
FOR PARENTS OR FAMILY OR FRIENDS OF THOSE ATTENDING, IT MAY HELP TO DO A GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH FOR ' 19 DEAD CONCERT MANCHESTER ', WHICH SHOWS MANY, MANY PHOTOS OF THOSE WHO SURVIVED THE BLAST STANDING OUTSIDE THE ARENA, BEING HELPED BY MEDICS AND POLICE...SOME ARE CLOSEUP PHOTOS.
I PRAY YOUR LOVED ONES ARE SAFE.
Greater Manchester Police is working to set up a contact number for relatives.
FROM THE BBC, WHICH ALSO HAS VIDEO OF THE PANIC AND CHAOS AS THOUSANDS EVACUATE THE ARENA...
Manchester explosion: Latest updates
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Daniel Sandford said senior counter-terrorism officers were assembling in London and liaising with the Home Office.
Unconfirmed reports from two unnamed US officials suggested the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.
British Transport Police say the explosion was in the foyer area of Manchester Arena.
The BBC's Tim Ashburner, who is at the scene, spoke to some volunteer paramedics who treated the injured for "shrapnel-like injuries".
Police say that 19 people have been killed and 50 others injured after explosions at a concert by the singer Ariana Grande in Manchester.
The 23-year-old pop star was performing her 'Dangerous Woman Tour' at the Manchester Arena on Monday (22 May) when explosions were heard towards the end of the show around 10.35pm.
[NOTE: SOME HAVE SLAMMED THE SINGER FOR HER COMMENTS ABOUT HATING AMERICA.YES, SHE DID SAY THAT, AS REPORTED BY THE L.A. TIMES BACK IN 2015 <HERE>, BUT WHY ATTACK HER FOR THAT IN LIGHT OF THIS TRAGEDY? BIGGER 'STARS' THAN HER HAVE SAID THE SAME THING.]
Shortly after the blast Manchester Victoria station, which is close to the concert venue, was closed and all trains cancelled.
The arena foyer connects with Victoria train and tram station, a major hub on the northern edge of the city centre.
Greater Manchester Police carried out a precautionary controlled explosion in the Cathedral Garden area of the city at about 01:32. The force confirmed it was not a suspicious item.
Andy Holey, who had gone to the arena to pick up his wife and daughter who had been at the concert, said: "As I was waiting, an explosion went off and it threw me about 30ft from one set of doors to the other set of doors.
"When I got up I saw bodies lying on the ground. My first thought was to go into the arena to try to find my family.
"When I couldn't find them, I went outside with the police and fire and looked through some of the bodies to try and find my wife and daughter.
"I managed to find them eventually and they're OK.
"It was definitely an explosion and it was some force. It happened near the box office at the entrance to the Arena."
Emma Johnson said she and her husband were at the arena to pick up their daughters, aged 15 and 17.
"We were stood at the top of the stairs and the glass exploded - it was near to where they were selling the merchandise.
"The whole building shook. There was a blast and then a flash of fire afterwards. There were bodies everywhere."
A wide area around the venue itself has been completely taped off, and the crime scene appears to be widening, with police pushing people further and further back.
"The police are treating it as a live site, we don't know if this is the end or there are other incidents in that area... we don't know at the moment."
Within an hour of reports of the incident emerging, people began offering spare rooms and beds to people stranded in the city using the hashtag #RoomForManchester.
Hundreds of tweets offering places to stay are being shared and re-tweeted thousands of times.
//WW
For all updates on the incident at Manchester Arena please follow @gmpolice on Twitter.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/gmpolice
Chief constable will not confirm whether arrests have been made
ReplyDeletePosted at 3:26 LONDON TIME
https://twitter.com/clarefallon/status/866838254246649856
BBC North West Tonight correspondent Clare Fallon was at the press conference with Greater Manchester Police's chief constable Ian Hopkins.
At least 22 people were killed and 59 injured, Chief Constable Ian Hopkins of the Greater Manchester Police said. “I can confirm there are children among the deceased,” he said.
ReplyDeleteThe first victim to be identified was 18-year-old Georgina Callandar.
Authorities believe the attack was carried out by one man, who they said they have identified. He died at the scene. Whether he acted alone or is connected to a network is the focus of the investigation now. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday morning.
Security officials say they believe around 350 jihadis have returned to Britain from the conflict in Syria. The possibility that the bomb maker is still at large is a particular concern; this is the first time terrorists have successfully used explosives for an attack on Britain since July 7, 2005, when four suicide bombers blew themselves up on London public transport, killing 52 people.
US officials say that British authorities have identified the suspected suicide bomber at Monday's Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, as Salman Abedi.
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