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tv   WLWT News 5 Today  NBC  March 22, 2016 4:30am-5:00am EDT

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and the brussels unconfirmed reports of several blasts in subway stations and these are unconfirmed reports. french media saying there are possibly these subway station explosions. do you have any information on that? >> reporter: yes, we are seeing pictures from central brussels showing what appears to be smoke coming from buildings close to subway stations in central brussels but at the moment we don't know what is causing those or what is going on there. authorities themselves unable to confirm that but that is what french media are reporting. several explosions close to
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foreign minister did say after it arrest of abdelsalam. and they were planning to restart something, possibly. and that may have included what turns out to be the suspected attack today. don't forget large amounts of weapons were found at the scene of those raids. and isis flag, found as well. so, certainly they were aware that this terrorist cell is prepared to mount an attack that could take place across several areas areas, possibly as part of a coordinated terror attack. there's no confirmimation ation that it involved any kind of warning.
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and in the check in, departure area of the brussels airport. where people walk in from the curb and it took place next to check in area four, in departure hall one, a fairly small area used by local carriers, including american airmen lines. and many bloody, wounded people being carried out of that area, debris all over the road and a picture of hundreds of passengers running out through the parking lots into surrounding area. and what we're now seeing is all those people coming off planes arriving from other places, unable to enter the terminal. and that's where they're being kept until authorities can secure the area. now it seems like, as
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terror alert at airports throughout belgium and the region, there may have been these other explosions in central brussels. what it will do is increase concerns from governments not only in western europe but also the united states that terror cells are prepared to mount these kinds of attacks in these kinds of areas that aren't secured. you just walk in from the curb and airports in europe and united states generally do not have the kind of preterminal security you would expect to find in the middle east. so, authorities must workout a way of a trying to strike a balance between allowing the free movement and protecting people from attacks that seem to be able to carried out at anytime. dara. >> alister, as you mentioned, we
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seeing passengers running from the tarmack, it seems now they have some order. these people coming off planes were not part of the initial explosion. so, it does seem relatively calm. and you can see all the emergency personnel running behind. and all the metros have been closed. and there are unconfirmed reports of an explosion in the tube station and mullen beak tube station. of course, these are unconfirmed reports and we know there's something else going on in these subway stations. as far as security. is going on in brussels. brussels? you now have the airport shut ro stations have been shut down.
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and france and you mentioned a possibly an air traffic control strike, potential, going on in france which is obviously going to be another issue in terms of airlines. right now, the planes are being diverted from belgium. they are not allowed to land, obviously, these planes had been on the ground when these passengers were released. people are being told do not go to the airports. but with these unconfirmed reports of potential subway station explosions, this is shaking out into more than just the airport explosions and i know we tapped on potentially this isn't a terrorist attack because you never want to jump into that before it's been con confirmed but this has all the hallmarks of being a terrorist
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of sala-abdeselaw . and obviously, this is now coming out through other parts of the city. what does this do to feel of brussels? security? what does this do to brussels right now? >> well, fortunately for brussels, the city has experience in this. they've been own lock down very recently over the christmas and new year period. authorities feared there would be another terror attack carried out on the metro and the streets were empty, social ldiers on the streets. and an eery silence as no terror attack took place and people slowly returned to normal and it's almost been expecting this and has had security services
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prepare for the potential of an attack -- possible attack in more than one place and we're hearing some of these subway stations, including shumen, next door to the european union buildings could be part of the other explosions. and this happened in the middle of russia in the busiest time in the city center and out at the airport. which is one of europe's mage r airline hubs. it will give authorities the headache of wondering where weather they should worry about security in the unsecured areas, the departure zones where you walk in with your luggage. it's the worst case scenario is an explosion that goes off in a
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this happened in 2008 in glaus glosgau. and they are particularly vulnerable to a terrorist attack. and we know airports on belgium have been put on the highest of terror alerts. so, there will be extra checks. extra border monitoring and certainly this will cause, not only travel disruption but will focus minds at the very highest level throughout europe in terms of government level on how to maintain these borders, how to keep security and keep an eye on people who are known to be members of terror cells and who picture circulated as part of a wanted effort. remember his picture has been circulating since november and
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they've always warned these are almost impaus ossible totally across. you know, intelligence, chiefs have always said this is an impossible task and it's about managing risk more than anything. and it comes as eu leaders in brussels have been discussing the issue of borders, which have been under huge pressure in recent weeks because of the unprecedented migration from war zones and north africa, afghanistan and so on. historical levels of people coming through the borders and because of eu's open border policy, many have been able to inter inboarder er er er er countries like
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through germany, belgium, france and indeed, london. >> obviously, border and security is going to be the absolute front and main issue now that the security forces are going to have to deal with -- if you can hold on one second, we're going to kelly on the phone with us, enroute to brussels. what are you hearing now? >> reporter: well, we're now hearing there are explosions now or smoke at as possibly as many as three metro stations in brussels. it's now been closed down. there are scenes of tape across escalators, of at least one injured person outside a metro station in brussels, close to the eu led quarters headquarters. so, this is now looking like a coordinated attack of some sort.
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is what we're hearing and now possibly more in this -- [ inaudible ] passengers -- we have no confirmation yet on what happened inside. but we know there are reports of some sort of explosion and possibly people injured. >> thank you so much for that. it's very difficult to stay on the phone. we're just getting word that the prime minister has tweeted that he says he is shocked and concerned by the recent events in brussels and they'll do whatever they can to help. the ramifications, the shock waves to which is now happening frumg brus l from bruls ssels.
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local time as people were getting into the international section of the brussels airport. there were two explosions in departure hall number one. and confirmation that one person has been killed. we don't have anymore information on how many have been wounded. and we've been seeing pictures of the many thousands that have been moved out of the terminals. they are on the tarmack. and they have been diverted out to the tarmac. and flights have been canceled from brussels. they're trying to keep people away from the airport and the metro station have been shut down. there were reports of smoke possibly coming from the shuman shubway subway station, nooer near an eu building.
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that have possibly been in come other bomb smoke attack that's going on in brussels. so, this is naurt ot only going on at the airport but through the city of brussels. the metro has been shut down. the level of terror is now at the maximum rate, which is now considered a level four. they have raised the terror alert and we are now getting more information that people have possibly been injured in explegz ex explosions and this is an ongoing situation here. we'll have more information as to how many have possibly died. we have one confirmation that one person has been killed and that was in the initial explosion at the curb departure area at the brussels airport roughly after 8:00 on tuesday morning in brussels. thousands of people just
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and again, it's later in the afternoon for you in london. so, this is mid-day. travel reports, things have been shut down. what are you hearing also coming out, maybe possibly through social media, as to what's going on in brussels? >> reporter: it's the initial explosions, two explosions at least, authorities have confirmed, out at the airports shortly after 8:00 this morning. so, actually only around local time. so only around an hour or so ago and that was not only at the height of the russia in the city center and one of the busiest times of day at the airport. we know from eye witnesses that there were multiple people injured, many of them injuries to their legs, cut by flying glass and fast moving debris and
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nbc news in the last minutes that the death toll could be higher because of the severity and number of injuries. but they're saying only one confirmed dead. but it is possible -- >> if you would mind, we're going to take a quick break. so, nbc stations can go back to their normally scheduled programming at this moment. this is just a break for nbc news to go back to their normal program. hello, everyone. we're continuing coverage of the explosions that have happened at the airport in brussels and unconfirmed reports of explosions at subways.
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the airport has been shut down. we have a confirmation of one person dead. two explosions at the international section where there was really no skurts as ecurity as people were checking in for their flights. you're looking at pictures of the airport where the passengers at the terminals have been evacuated, taken outside, on to the tarmacwith their luggage. there was glass everywhere. it happened at the curb departure area. we do have an eye witness and your name is jeffersay. >> one explosion went off and
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a second one. >> and the second one was in the same area? >> in the same area, in the same area, so windows were blownout, people were injured, people were on the floor. there was panic. everyone was running around. it was a nightmare. >> i'm sure it was a nightmare. how quickly before everybody was able to get themselves out of that area amongst all of the -- >> on the floor, everybody was running out like crazy. so, everybody run out as fast as they could. and then people could not run were on the floor because they were injured. a lot of people were injured where i was. >> was there any kind of warning? any signs that an explosion was imd impending or completely out of the blue?
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i was walking in to do my checking for my business trip unbelievable. >> you sound relatively calm right now describing the scene which i can only assume was extremely chaotic and frightening. what were your initial thoughts? >> something happened. but it was clear that the second one was -- >> and you believe this was possibly a terrorist attack? did anything -- >> a lot of yelling, screaming. a lot of people were in panic. they left the luggage area. everybody was running out.
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the building. it was so fast but it seemed like ages. >> i'm sure this is very confusing and perplexing at this time. where are you now in relation to where the explosion happened? are you in the tar -- >> i'm in the parking lot. >> and you're with the other -- it looks like there are thousands of people standing outside? >> now they are evacuating the whole building. but like i said, from that area and they are evacuating the whole airport. >> and if you don't mind, you said you were just traveling to rome on a regular business trip.
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happened before this explosion happened? >> no. nothing seemed to me strange. >> so, this was just started out as a normal average day of you traveling to the airport? >> exactly. exactly. exactly. exactly. i take quite often in europe. normal tuesday. >> and what are they doing now? what are they telling you when they'll be able to get you out of the airport? have they said anything about possible transportation? about when you, the passengers, will get relief of going back your homes or hotels? >> no, i'm going to try to go
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>> jef jef, you did confirm there are two exploeshz sions. i'm sure it was absolute panic. >> very short. it was like in the minutes. >> within the minutes. >> so, one exploded and soon after, the other one. and i had the impression that the second one was more powerful than the it first one. >> the second one was more powerful, did you say, than the first one? >> yeah, that's what i think, yeah. >> and was it in the same area? >> yes, it was coming from the same area. >> coming from the same area. now, if you ur were in the fronts of this check-in area, if you urin the ur were in the front, was the explosion close enough where you were involved with the debris coming down or it was further away that you could evacuate the
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>> on the entrance area on the left side and it was two floors down, i think. it was -- because they were coming from the train station up and that's why we were effected boo ithat but i think it was two floors lower, i think. i think. but i haven't seen it. it seems to be okay. >> and jef, you sound relatively calm talking about this experience. how were other people reacting to this? you must be standing around a few other people? is there panic? revolve? what is the mood of the people? >> people are looking like how
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a lot of people panic and afraid. other people are running away as fast as they can from the scene. >> i'm sure it's a very frightening scene. we're seeing pictures of everybody in the parking lot and the tarmac. so, i'm sure this is slightly calmer than it was when this happened and we know it happened shortly after 8:00. how much time had you spent in the airport before this explosion. happened? had you just arrived yourself? >> i just arrived. i parked my car and went straight to the check in area and then it happened. >> but you mentioned that you were on a second floor. at the brussels airport, if you're on the second flor, or, are
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a train station? >> if i'm not mistaken, the train station is two or three floors below where i was. i was at least two floors on top of that. >> but because you had parked your car, you came in through the front entrance? >> i was coming in from the front entrance. i was parked across the departure area in the sixth floor. so, it's about four minutes walk. i was scared i was too late for my flight. and i was too late. >> and thankfully, you are okay from this explosion. we are getting reports that several have been injured. there was a report of one person
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kwd you tell us when the explosion happened was the ground shaking or did glass just start pouring in? >> it was shaking. that thing was moving. >> that it was moving, that the terminal was moving. we're getting reports right now of confirmation that there are now 13 people that have died. 35 injured. that's coming from belgium broadcasters. 35 people injured. and obviously, we're very thankful that you have survived this uninjured and that you're able to speak with us. if you could tell us a little more about the mood in the airport. how is security handling the thousands of people that have to be evacuated? >> the army was doing a very good job. they were securing everybody.
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and doing a very good job. >> so, the emergency personnel were quick to evacuate everybody and were quick to be on hand? >> yes. yes. yes. exactly. >> jef, i thank you so much and just so you're aware, there are reports of unconfirmed issues with the metro. obviously, you fly for business. so, you're one of the people who are very transient in brussels. how will this effect your travels now? >> i hope not too much because it's part of my living. i have to travel, otherwise, i cannot survive. so, traveling is important for us. and my friend will be thinking
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being afraid that something's going to happen. and it's certainly not -- i think you have to stand up united and keep on believing there are still good people. >> jef versele, thank you so much. safe travels. and now allister, we have reports that 13 people have -- this is from belgium authorities, 13 people have been confirmed dead. 35 injured. are you hearing anymore reports in london? >> reporter: yeah, that's right. we are hearing these other reports; that the death toll has increased somewhat and that's
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nature of some of the images on social media that we saw in the aftermath of the attack. we're not showing those, obviously, but there were people with fairly horrific injuries following that explosion just under two hours ago. we're also seeing on social needia need ia -- media, images from the subway, including people who have been taken out of subway train near to the shuman station and be evacuated. so, people have been evacuated in an emergency and we're seeing people being treated by emergency services in the streets. outside the subway stations. no word on what happened in the brussels subway station in town.
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and to emphasize how much of an ongoing situation this is, brussels airport is tweeting to those thousands of people in the pictures who are stuck on the actual air field runway side of the airport, or were due to be leaving on planes and are now in what is -- you would hope is a safe but nonetheless, they cannot move out of this area. the airport is tweeting to say stay where you are, remain calm and we'll have more information for you. clearly, all those people are going to have to remain there for some time until the area can be cleard and secured. and that will be many 10s of thousands just after 8:00 this morning local time at one of the busiest times of day for the airport. authorities will be busy trying to secure the actual explosion
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departure zone and in the mean time, all those people stuck on the air side will have to remain where they are. >> i want to thank you so much for your reporting in london. i so appreciate you keeping us up to date with what is going on with this explosion coming out of brussels. live fromon with the updates of tuesday. mark: we' re following breaking news, multiple explosions at the brussels airport. lisa: you have been watching nbc news live. they have been checking in with their bureaus in london and bureaus. we heard one maybe two, and then

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