There was at least one explosion at the end of an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. There have been multiple deaths and injuries reported.
Current summary (BBC):
- Greater Manchester Police say there have been number of fatalities
- People are urged to stay away from the area around Manchester Arena
- Rail lines blocked at nearby Manchester Victoria station
- Ariana Grande concert was evacuated
- A spokesman for the singer confirms she is unharmed
Guardian: Manchester Arena: police confirm fatalities after explosion at Ariana Grande concert
Police in Manchester have responded to a “serious incident” at the city’s arena, amid unconfirmed reports online of an explosion.
Greater Manchester police warned people to stay away from Manchester Arena while they dealt with the issue. Officers did not release any further details on what has happened. A concert by Ariana Grande was being staged at the time.
Police statement on incident at Manchester Arena https://t.co/gaKASukx9a—
G M Police (@gmpolice) May 22, 2017
UPDATE:
Here is the full update from Greater Manchester chief constable Ian Hopkins:
I can confirm the details of events tonight that we currently know. At around 10.33pm last night we received reports of an explosion at the Manchester Arena in the city centre. It was at the conclusion of an Ariana Grande concert.
Currently we have 19 people confirmed to have died and around 50 people injured.
The injured are being treated at six hospitals across Greater Manchester. My thoughts are with all those who have been affected and we are doing all we can to support them.
Officers from GMP and emergency services are working at the scene and are supporting those affected. We are coordinating the response from GMP headquarters.
An emergency number is available for those who are concerned about loved ones or anyone who may have been in the area. It is 0161 856 9400.
We are currently treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise. We are working closely with the national counter-terrorism policing network and UK intelligence partners.
This is clearly a concerning time for people but we are doing all we can, working with local and national agencies to support those affected and gather information about what has happened tonight. As you will understand, we are still receiving information and updates, so will provide more details when we have a clearer picture.
