Manchester Arena blast: 19 dead and about 50 hurt at Ariana Grande Concert

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Erika Ignata, 18, from Cheshire, was at the concert with her 26-year-old sister, Monica.
She told MailOnline: 'We were on the ground floor when Ariana sung the last song. There was a massive sound which we immediately though was a bomb.
'I just grabbed my sister and we were running for the door, it was absolute chaos. All around me there were little girls.'
Ms Ignata described running outside and seeing crowds of parents crying and trying to contact their children on the phone.
She added: 'Me and my sister ran and got into our car which was about 50 yards away from the Arena. I saw lots of girls crying and mums calling out.
'Lots of people shaking and calling on the phone trying to get in touch with people.'

 

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Sasina Akhtar said: 'We were in the lower tier and there was an explosion behind us at the back of the arena.
'We saw young girls with blood on them, everyone was screaming and people were running. There was lots of smoke.'
A barman at the nearby Steven Charles Snooker Club, who gave his name as Tyler, said he saw people lying on the ground covered in blood.
'We've had a few people in with panic attacks and in all kinds of disarray,' he told Press Association.
'We've got four girls here - trying to get them sorted to get picked up.

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Police said earlier this morning that there was due to be a controlled explosion in Cathedral gardens, and warned people not to be alarmed

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A policeman patrols Victoria Railway Station close to Manchester Arena. Display boards direct customers to posters where they can find travel information

'There was a gentleman on the floor with his leg all bleeding and woman with blood down one side of her face.
'We felt something but didn't know what it was - there was a sound like thunder.
'One girl had a panic attack and another had streaming tears, a woman had a heart attack just outside.
'It's a lot of teenagers - they're all in tears.'
Nurses at nearby Wythenshawe Hospital told patients in A&E to leave it they did not have serious injuries to make way for casualties from the blast.
A medic said: 'Anybody who is not serious, can you please leave and get treatment elsewhere as there have been reports of an explosion in Manchester, we're expecting mass casualties.'
Kindhearted locals also took to social media to offer their help to people who had attended the concert.

 

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Kim Corbett wrote: 'If anyone needs picking up please let me know. I live in Bury but I'm happy to help any way I can. God bless those hurt tonight.'
Vicky Fraser added: 'If anybody needs somewhere to stay I will pick them up…can meet them as close as I can get to town.'
There are reports on social media that up to 50 unaccompanied children have been taken in to Manchester Holiday Inn and are being looked after by adults.
Paula Robinson posted on Facebook: 'We have taken as many kids as we can to Holiday Inn we will keep them safe and stay with them.'
Former Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand said: 'Just heard the news what's happening in Manchester... hope everyone is safe and sound!'

 

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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: 'Terrible incident in Manchester. My thoughts are with all those affected and our brilliant emergency services.'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: 'This is a shocking and horrific attack targeting children and young people who were simply enjoying a concert.
'My deepest sympathies are with the victims, and with families who have lost loved ones, as well as those desperately waiting for news.
'I would like to pay tribute to the bravery and dedication of the emergency services.
'This is an attack on innocent people and the nation is united both in its grief and its determination to stand up to this deplorable attack.'
Prime Minister Theresa May has said her thoughts are with the victims and families of those affected in 'what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack'.

 

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Video footage showed people fleeing in tears from the venue after reports of explosions at the end of an Ariana Grande concert (pictured tonight)

 

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Liverpool City Region metro mayor Steve Rotheram tweeted: 'My 2 daughters caught up in the Manchester explosion at the arena. They are thankfully safe, but I fear for others.'
He posted later: 'Confirmed deaths at the Manchester arena. Feel sick to think that people have lost their lives at a gig attended by so many young people.
'All my thoughts go out to those parents waiting to hear of the safety of their children. It's a parents worse nightmare. So, so sad.'
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'Emergency services responding to serious incident at Manchester Arena. Avoid the area. More details will follow as soon as available.'

 

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A British Transport Police spokesman said: 'We are aware of an incident at Manchester Arena. We have officers at the scene and will provide further updates as soon as possible.'
In a statement, Manchester Arena said: 'We can confirm there was an incident as people were leaving the Ariana Grande show last night. The incident took place outside the venue in a public space. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims.'
US pop singer Grande was performing her Dangerous Woman European tour at Manchester Arena when the incident happened.
Later this week, she is scheduled to perform in London, followed by concerts in Belgium, Poland and Germany. A spokesman for the singer said she was unharmed but inconsolable.
Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and is a popular concert and sporting venue.
Britain is on its second-highest alert level of 'severe' meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.
British counter-terrorism police have said they are making on average an arrest every day in connection with suspected terrorism.
[h=3]GLOBAL HISTORY OF TERROR ATTACKS AT ENTERTAINMENT VENUES AND NIGHTCLUBS[/h]November 13, 2015 - Bataclan Theatre: The Paris terror attacks included a bloody mass shooting at the theatre during an Eagles of Death Metal rock gig. There were 89 deaths in the theatre, and a total of 130 across the French capital on the night of Friday the 13th. A total of 368 people were injured across the city. Seven of the Islamic State attackers were killed.
November 13, 2015 - La Carillon bar: The Paris terror attackers also targeted a bar, where 20 people were killed.
December 4, 2015 - Cairo restaurant: Firebombs were thrown into the El Sayad restaurant in Egypt's Cairo, killing 16 people and injuring three others. Victims died from smoke inhalation or burns, after struggling to escape from the basement venue which had only one exit.
June 12, 2016 - Orlando nightclub: Omar Mateen, 29, slaughtered 49 people and injured 53 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, last year. Mateen was shot dead after a three-hour standoff with police at the Pulse nightclub. The attack was the deadliest mass shooting by a lone gunman and the deadliest violence against LGBTQI people in the history of the United States. The shooter swore allegiance to the Islamic State in a 911 call to police, but an investigation found Mateen had no links to the terror group.
June 28, 2016 - Kuala Lumpur nightclub: A grenade was thrown into the crowd at Movida nightclub in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June last year. Eight people were injured. In March this year, a high court judge sentenced two people to 25 years' jail for the attack, as well as an additional 10 years for supporting the Islamic State.
New Years' Eve 2016-17 - Istanbul nightclub: Partygoers were welcoming in 2017 when a shooter sprayed bullets into Reina nightclub and killed 39 people on New Years' Eve in Turkey's Istanbul. The alleged gunman, Abdulkadir Masharipov, who was born in Uzbekistan, was arrested after two weeks on the run.
January 1, 2016 - Tel Aviv bar: Two people were killed at Israel's Simta bar on New Years' Day last year while up to seven others were wounded. Witnesses claimed the gunman was smiling calmly while shooting people down at random with a machine gun. The gunman then killed a taxi driver as he fled the scene. Nasha'at Melhem, 31, was named as the killer and he was shot dead in a shoot-out with police a week later.

 

[ScottL]

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