' that. just injured. apologies for that. just bring you this news that a number of people have died and others have been injured following an explosion at manchester arena. hello, iam hello, i am karin giannone in london. we start with breaking news this hour. british police confirmed the number of people who have been killed in an explosion at a pop concert in manchester. they are treating it as a possible terrorist incident. witnesses report hearing a blast at the concert by an american singer ariana grande at the 21,000 capacity venue. we start with breaking news from the uk. police say a number of people have been killed and others injured in an explosion at manchester arena — they're treating it as a possible ‘terrosrist incident‘. witnesses reported hearing a loud bang in the venue — at the end of a concert by the american pop star, ariana grande. the building is above a railway station, and train services have been suspended.

iand i and about a ten minute walk from the arena. the area is completely cordoned off. the area that is cordoned off. the area that is cordoned off. the area that is cordoned off seems to be, we are being pushed back by police. they are keen to clear the wider area. there are still pockets of people who are obviously still in shock. people are looking for information and they are on their phones, contacting their friends and family. there is still a great sense of confusion here at the moment. 0nly there is still a great sense of confusion here at the moment. only a small amount of information seems to be filtering out from police. yeah, people are just very, very shaken. i've spoken to people who are in

tea rs i've spoken to people who are in tears and people, very, very upset. i have spoken to one mother who was with her daughters and said her priority was simply getting back home and getting her daughters back home and getting her daughters back home safely. 0ther home and getting her daughters back home safely. other people are being a bit more candid and saying that they are seen injured people being injured, people covered in blood but the feeling is still very much confusion. nobody seems to know exactly what has happened and people are very, very shaken. i can just imagine the number of people who are still trying to find their loved ones in the chaos that we saw in the venue ones in the chaos that we saw in the venue when do people were trying to get out of there as fast as they could enter the number of children that must have been at this concert. that's right. 0ne that must have been at this concert. that's right. one thing that has been very, very obvious is that it was the kind of gig that has been enjoyed by younger people and that's one of the things that struck me.

lots of younger people who are obviously here with their parents or guardians and yeah. we heard one report that all local hotel was taking in under accompanied children —— unaccompanied. we also had reports that taxi drivers had turned off their meters and were just helping people get to where they needed to be. that's very true. i think people seemed to be very helpful at the moment. the police as well, they are caring and trying to a nswer well, they are caring and trying to answer people ‘s questions and telling them where to go, telling them to move away. people handing out portions of chips and drinks to people. the atmosphere seems to be very supportive here at the moment among the general public. thanks very much for the moment, tom mullen

from bbc manchester. just to recap, we know a number of people have died in that reported explosion at manchester arena. the police saying the explosion was in the foyer. witnesses reported hearing a huge bang of the concept by american singer barry under grand day. let's hear from by american singer barry under grand day. let's hearfrom andy by american singer barry under grand day. let's hear from andy wholey who was inside the arena and was thrown through the air by the force of the blast. let's talk to andy live now. thank you forjoining us. tell us where you forjoining us. tell us where you are and how you are. in a hotel around the corner from the arena. still wide awake from what happened.

so you have stayed pretty close. tell us what happened inside there tonight. as i said before, i wasn't in the arena. i was at the box office in the foyer where it happened, waiting for my family to come out. i was talking to one of the girls who was going on about she was going away with her kids and that. because the door was open, we got thrown through the door towards the arena but the explosion was behind us and forced us forward. everyone who was 7— 15 foot behind us, everyone who was 7— 15 foot behind us, everyone everyone who was 7— 15 foot behind us, everyone got injured. as i said before, there was about 20— 30 people injured. it's onlyjust filtering through at the moment. this is what is going on. what were saying ages ago, it is onlyjust

coming out what actually happened. so you put it as high as 20— 30 people you think very, very seriously injured. yeah. fatalities? the police... isjust, they can't get the ambulances around because of the stairs so it makes it twice as hard. when this explosion went off, was that at the point when people we re was that at the point when people were already making their way out of manchester arena? they were starting to filter out. i was there about seven minutes. i could hear the singer on her last song and as it finished, people were coming out and ijust finished, people were coming out and i just heard these finished, people were coming out and ijust heard these loud bang, felt a lot of stuff near my ears and it blew me forward. when i get up, behind me there was just people lying everywhere. i just behind me there was just people lying everywhere. ijust ran into

the stadium to see if i could see my family. couldn't find them, couldn't get them on the phone, came back out where everyone was lying. tried to help a bit and started checking people lying there. as i said before, i don't know who was dead or unconscious and had to check but in case my family was there. what were those moments like when you are trying to find your family?” those moments like when you are trying to find your family? i just felt sick to my stomach because every time i looked at a person, as bad as it was for that person, it wasn't my wife or daughter. you said you are at a hotel not far away. you with other people? how is everybody reacting? i just with other people? how is everybody reacting? ijust went with other people? how is everybody reacting? i just went down with other people? how is everybody reacting? ijust went down because my wife needed a drink and the whole hotel foyer is full of people watching the news for information because there is still people who have people missing and we don't

know what's going on. we got evacuated one end and we had to get away from where the explosion was so everybody got pushed out the other end. people, young kids, probably separated from their families and don't know what's going on. andy, we wish you all the best thank you for talking to us again. that is andy wholey who was just very close to where the explosion happened. just to recap, we know a number of people have been killed, others have been injured in that explosion at manchester arena. andy moore is keeping up—to—date with all of the latest lines of information. what do we know for sure? what has been confirmed? we know that the exposure that and at 10115 local time just over two hours ago. it was at the end of the concert at manchester arena. ariana grande, the american

singer had been given a concert. 21,000 people singer had been given a concert. 21 , 000 people capacity. singer had been given a concert. 21,000 people capacity. greater manchester police have said they had been a number of fatalities caused by an explosion. british transport police talked about an explosion in the foyer. we know from our own home affairs correspondent that as we speak, intelligence officers, home office officials, meeting in london tonight. they are working on the theory that it could have been a terrorist incident and that the fatalities may be in the double figures. wejust had an fatalities may be in the double figures. we just had an update from greater manchester police on twitter. we have heard about a number of children, young people, at this concert, separated from their pa rents. this concert, separated from their parents. they say, "we are working to provide a numberfor anyone concerned about love to ones to contact the will be released as soon as possible". greater manchester police tried to put people in touch with their parents who have been

separated. in addition to the reports we have been getting as a possible terrorist incident. we are now hearing from sources in the states from nbc news, for example, reporting from american intelligence sources that it is being treated as a terrorist incident. those sources in america are talking about a possible suicide bomber. certainly, the timing of the incident is interesting because the explosion happened at the end of the concept as people were leaving. we heard from the last eyewitness. he was blown into the building by the force ofan blown into the building by the force of an explosion outside and the timing wasjust at of an explosion outside and the timing was just at the end of the concert when you would have had a number of people outside, waiting to meet people and the first people we re meet people and the first people were actually leaving the arena. there's talk to alan andrews who was at the front of the concert. you

heard the explosion then? yeah, are loud bang, a big one. how far away where you? a better way. i was one of the last coming out, do you know what i mean? then we heard the explosion as we were getting towards the accident, towards the station. loads of people just came running back, screaming. everybody just loads of people just came running back, screaming. everybodyjust ran back, screaming. everybodyjust ran back the other way towards the front of the concert where the stage was. so there was absolute panic and confusion and people actually running into directions? yes. there was people saying don't panic, don't panic. they were just following protocol. everyone just calmed panic. they were just following protocol. everyonejust calmed down a bit. they went to the opposite direction to where the explosion was. to the other expert. —— exit.

what did you think it was, this bang? my first instinct was a bomb. then you could smell as you are going through the tunnel as we were waiting to go out of the exit, you could smell the smoke, explosive smoke. it wasn't normal smoke. you could smell it was an explosive of some sort. if you stay with us, i know my colleague andy moore has had an update on something he has heard from police. this is an update from greater manchester police. "further details on the incident at greater manchester arena have been released. just before 10:35 pm on monday may 22, police were called to reports of an explosion at manchester arena. so far19 an explosion at manchester arena. so far 19 people have been confirmed dead with around 50 others injured.

this is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise." so, that is worth repeating from manchester police, for the first time, they are treating it as a terrorist incident. they are also confirming 19 people have been confirmed dead with around 50 others injured. very grim news indeed. let's go back to alan who was inside the concert venue. when you hear that, alan, it must feel overwhelming to have been there? i feel very lucky now. must feel overwhelming to have been there? ifeelvery lucky now. iwas walking out thinking what was going on. i didn't think that it was nothing but a just got in the car and went home. i've been home for the last hour. it's very scary to think. i normally go out that exit.

it could have been myself. effectively, the week to the exit was at the back of the concert hall. towards the train station, yes, that's the main exit, one of the main exits. definitely purposefully done because that's where people would have been. people were on their way out at that particular moment. definitely. it would have been right at the peak time. 1035 or whatever it was, just after she finished or five minutes whatever it was, just after she finished orfive minutes after. whatever it was, just after she finished or five minutes after. you mentioned, people saying there were different reasons, they went entirely sure where the noise had come from but they were just running as fast as they could. yes. i did hear one or two girls, screaming, and use of blood, kind of thing. 0ther and use of blood, kind of thing. other people, went to shore because they were far away and trying to get

their kids. there was a lot of kids. i was going to ask you, a lot of children with their parents as well? a lot of teenagers with their pa rents, a lot of teenagers with their parents, yes. a lot of them waiting outside worryingly as i was walking outside worryingly as i was walking out as well. and when you left, was anybody there to help people leave in an orderly fashion? the stewards were. the stewards did at good job to be fair. some of them were just following protocol and the got told to go out that way and that was it. to be fair, they did a good job in the circumstances at the time. as we we re the circumstances at the time. as we were walking out, the alarm went off saying, "please evacuate asap". luckily, i was already home sweet. allen, thank you very much, alan who was there at the front of the concert. at the point when the

explosion went off. andy moore is still with me. some latest numbers, 19 people confirmed dead. that confirms what we know from our own sources. casualties are in double figures. 50 others injured. 19 confirmed dead. police say this is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise. that confirms our own sources. we understand officials, intelligence officials, police, home 0ffice officials, are meeting in central london, whitehall, tonight, to discuss the incident. let me read you the full press release, the

fullest information so far from greater manchester police. further details have been released. just before 1035 on monday, police were called to reports of an explosion at manchester arena. 19 confirmed dead. 50 others injured. this is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise. we also know that the police are trying to set up a casualty bureau and a number of people to get in touch with loved ones. we know from british transport police that the explosion was in the foyer area , police that the explosion was in the foyer area, not in the main auditorium. we her just foyer area, not in the main auditorium. we herjust a few minutes ago from andy holey that he was just outside the doors of the auditorium and was blown to ward the auditorium, into the building, suggesting the explosion was

outside, on the outskirts, the buildings. —— towards. that is the latest information. and the timing of the incident, very interesting, it happened as the concert was finishing. a lot of people milling around, waiting to meet a lot of young children, a lot of those youngsters, coming out of the arena of. and we heard from andy holey, he said this was, in his words, an attack that was targeted at young children, because he said many of those attending the concert would have been very young. 0n the line is stefan petrovic, who was at the concert when the explosion happened. what happened to you? what happened to you ?|j what happened to you? i was in the hospitality area with about 16 other people. the concert had finished and eve ryo ne people. the concert had finished and everyone was leaving. there was a huge bang. no one knew what it was. there was panic from everyone clamouring over seats to get away.

we diner where the bank came from. —— we don't know where the bang. people were evacuated. there was a huge rush. people were going out to the fire door. there is only one entrance, the main entrance. that was near where the bomb went off. everybody was just really panicked. how far was the hospitality area away from where this happened? halfway up the arena. you could just see the exit. there was seating around the area. the explosion was pretty loud. right, so you

immediately came to the conclusion this was a bomb, not an explosion. yes. when everyone left the box, you could basically smell explosives in the area. at we ran to the corridor where the food was. you could smell that it was an explosive. how long did it take you to get out of the arena, out of the concert venue?m was pretty quick. i mean, the whole arena empty pretty quickly. we held back because we did not want to get stormed. we are pretty local. we just made a run for it. there were

many younger girls in the street. really young girls, basically. you said you went out of a fire door, they opened them to get out. 0therwise they opened them to get out. otherwise you would have had to exit where this explosion seemed to go off? yes. i think the station was exposed underneath the arena slightly. there is a bridge from the station into the box office area. it is pretty ha rd station into the box office area. it is pretty hard to get to if you are in likea is pretty hard to get to if you are in like a car or an ambulance. they wanted to get people

out to the roads quickly. that is what usually happens, basically. this was a couple of hours ago. how are you feeling. what was the reaction between you and the people you reaction between you and the people you were with and it dawning on you? you just never know what is going to happen next. to be involved with something like that! and when it actually happens! 0ver like that! and when it actually happens! over 50% of the arena was full with teenage girls tonight, basically. they had just gone there to have a really good night. thank you very much, stefan. he was inside

manchester arena when that explosion happened. now, a number of eyewitnesses have described the chaos. majid khan says this. "it was one bang and everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit. and the exit was blocked, so everyone was just running to any exit they could find as quickly as they could." suzy mitchell, who lives near manchester arena, describes coming out the front of her apartment when she heard the loud bang, and everyone was running away in big crowds. and jane baynes also describes that loud bang, and also saw a flash before everyone scrambled out. then she says an alarm came on telling everyone to stay calm and leave as quickly as possible. so, the scale of what happened

inside manchester arena beginning to emerge. andy moore is with us. update us. we have had an update from greater manchester police in the last 20 minutes. 19 people are dead from the explosion confirmed. 50 injured. they are treating it as a terrorist incident. that is until they have information otherwise. we know that they are trying to set up a casualty bureau. they are also trying to set up a number to put you in touch with people in the arena, with your loved ones. we also know that the emergency services are still at the scene nearly three hours after the explosion. we know the north west ambulance service has told people not to call them unless it isa told people not to call them unless it is a life—threatening emergency. so, that gives you an indication of

how many staff are involved in dealing with this incident at the moment with such high catch of the figures. it is not surprising. —— with such high casualty figures. officials are meeting in whitehall as we speak to discuss how to deal with the situation. a terrorist attack. some people are talking about a suicide bomber, but we have no information on that from uk sources. thank you. ed thomas is in manchester. tell us the latest of what is happening around you. this is where it is usually the biggest place. beyond this in the your rights is the arena. —— cordon.

inaudible. parents are trying to get out with their children. 19 people have died in this blast at least. further details to add. we have spoken to one eyewitness close to the blast. he said he went down on the blast. he said he went down on the floor and his leg was bleeding and he was holding onto his wife. and while he was there, he could see nuts and bolts on the floor. he says he was kicking them as he moved. we are told that at the centre of this blast was the foyer. that is where people leave the concert and gather to buy merchandise and scarves,

t—shirts, and posters. itake to buy merchandise and scarves, t—shirts, and posters. i take my daughter to this arena and sometimes you wait outside for children to come out. and as far as i know, when you get to that foyer, once the concert is finished, no one is checking who was coming in and out. we will get more details soon. sirens. inaudible. we will update you to give you the response and tell you about the scale. two helicopters have been circling. we have seen dozens of paramedics, ambulances, coming down here. st john's ambulances. we expect more details at delhi in the night when manchester police will give us an update. ed, if you can hear me, we arejust update. ed, if you can hear me, we are just learning that the police in manchester have told the bbc that there is a second suspect device near where the first explosion

occurred. people and journalists have been moved away from the scene. we are being told a controlled explosion is imminent. put us in the context how far away that is from where you are. it depends where that controlled explosion is. we have heard so many rumours denied it is ha rd to heard so many rumours denied it is hard to know what is fact and what is fiction. —— tonight. one person has said there was a second device near the train station. we cannot get there. now, another person has told last here tonight that he witnessed a silver car, a mercedes, being surrounded by armed police, and one person being taken out of that car at gunpoint. i don't know if he was arrested. we will hear from manchester police as soon as we can. we heard someone shouting.

sirens. inaudible. there is a lot of activity. another police car flying down. there is a lot of detail still to come to light. but right now, standing so close to this place. u nfortu nately we lost standing so close to this place. unfortunately we lost the connection with ed thomas outside manchester arena. just to reiterate, we heard from greater manchester police there isa from greater manchester police there is a second suspect device near where the first explosion occurred. journalists have been moved away from the scene and have been told that a controlled explosion is imminent. so, there are many things going on, many scenes of investigation, it seems. andy moore is still with me. it seems to be unfolding and continuing to do so. yes, it often happens in circumstances like this that there are reports of second suspect

devices. sometimes they turn out to be genuine, sometimes they turn out to be people fearful. visy that is understandable in circumstances like this. i think a picture is emerging now, clearly, that the explosion was outside the arena in a foyer, the ticket office, outside the arena. manchester arena has confirmed it actually happened outside the arena. we heard one eyewitness talking about the force of the explosion blowing him into the arena, and we heard there from our correspondent that this was an area where people would have been congregating to buy merchandise, as the concert finished. we have also heard eyewitnesses talking about the smell of explosives. one eyewitness told the bbc that there were nuts and bolts on the floor. let me stop you there. we will go back to ed thomas in manchester. we have just heard from greater manchester police that they are linking this