23rd May, 2017
British police said there were a number of fatalities in a reported explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in the northern English city of Manchester on Monday.
Nineteen people have so far been confirmed killed while 50 suffered injuries.
“Emergency services are currently responding to reports of an explosion at Manchester Arena. There are a number of confirmed fatalities and others injured,” Greater Manchester Police said on Twitter.
A spokesman for the pop singer’s record label said that she was “okay.”
Earlier British police said they had responded to a serious incident at a venue in the northern English city of Manchester where U.S. singer Ariana Grande had been performing.
“Emergency services responding to serious incident at Manchester Arena,” Greater Manchester Police said. “Avoid the area.”
Witnesses reported hearing a huge bang at the venue, Sky News said on Monday.
A video posted on Twitter showed fans screaming and running inside the venue.
Reuters was not immediately able to verify the reports on social media.
Britain is on its second-highest alert level of “severe” meaning an attack by militants is considered highly likely.
“We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming,” concert-goer Catherine Macfarlane told Reuters.
“It was a huge explosion — you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out.”
Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, opened in 1995 and has a capacity for 21,000 people, according to its website. It is a popular concert and sporting venue.