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Old 05-22-2017, 04:41 PM
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Deaths confirmed after Manchester Arena blast reports

A number of people have died and others have been injured following a reported explosion at Manchester Arena.

Witnesses reported hearing a "huge bang" following a pop concert by US singer Ariana Grande.

Greater Manchester Police said there are a "number of confirmed fatalities and others injured".

Witnesses said they heard two loud bangs, reported to be near the ticket office of the arena. The cause of the reported explosion is unknown.

Manchester Victoria station, which is close to the concert venue, has been closed and all trains cancelled.

Greater Manchester Police tweeted to urge people to stay away from the area.

A number of eyewitnesses have described the confusion in the aftermath.

Robert Tempkin, 22, from Middlesbrough, said: "Everyone was screaming and running, there were coats and people's phones on the floor. People just dropped everything.

"Some people were screaming they'd seen blood but other people were saying it was balloons busting or a speaker had been popped.

"There were lots of ambulances. I saw somebody being treated. I couldn't tell what had happened to him."

Josh Elliott, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, said he was shocked by news of the fatalities.

"A bang went off and everyone stopped and screamed... we basically hit the deck," he said

"It was bedlam… it was horrific.

"We got up when we thought it was safe and got out as quickly as possible.

"People were just crying and in tears... police cars were everywhere.

"We just wanted to get out as quickly as possible because we didn't know what was going on."

Michelle Sullivan, from Huddersfield, was attending the concert with her daughters, aged 12 and 15.

"It was really scary," she said. "Just as the lights have gone down we heard a really loud explosion... Everybody screamed.

"When we got out they just said 'keep on running, keep on running'."
X

Manchester incident: Latest updates - BBC News

Our news are saying the explosion was in the ticket office, and it must be stressed that there has been no confirmation as of yet of a bomb or terrorism.
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Old 05-22-2017, 05:56 PM
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Conflicting reports. Manchester Arena said the incident happened outside of the arena, in public.

This is so sad and devastating.
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Old 05-22-2017, 05:56 PM
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Conflicting reports. Manchester Arena said the incident happened outside of the arena, in public.

This is so sad and devastating.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:02 PM
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The foyer is considered outside of the arena here because of the shopping/restaurant potential outside the auditorium. It was around the ticket office/merchandise stands. Police are now saying they're treating it as a terrorist incident.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:11 PM
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According to the BBC, there are 19 dead and 50 injured as of 33 minutes ago. Tonight was an Ariana Grande concert. So, not that there's ever a justified terrorist attack (I'm assuming that's what it was), but to orchestrate one at or outside of a concert where you know the audience will be mostly kids or young teenagers?

.... I'm at a loss.

Like I said, I don't mean to imply that there's a terrorism with which I'm ok. But to target kids?

There's a specially special circle of hell for people who do that.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:14 PM
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I know what you mean, it feels especially devastating because her concert goers are mainly children/teens and their parents. This is just devastating, when I think of the kids who went there to just have fun and make great memories, I start crying.

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The foyer is considered outside of the arena here because of the shopping/restaurant potential outside the auditorium. It was around the ticket office/merchandise stands.
Oh ok, thanks for explaining.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:19 PM
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The police are treating it as a terrorist incident, they must have reason to do so.

There's around 50/60 unaccompanied minors being cared for at a hotel. Based on what is being said, the explosion was just as people started coming out, so it's likely a lot of parents were waiting for their children there. This is horrific, it was a concert where the audience would be mostly children, as you said, there is a special place in hell for people that target children.

Context: Bags are always searched before going into a concert in the UK (I've been to enough of them), but due to arenas also being used for shopping/restaurants, these checks happen when you're entering the auditorium and not the venue when it comes to bigger arenas. The ticket office/merchandise stands are outside of the area where they are checked, where you can basically have anything. Smaller arenas and stadiums are checked at the door, so less likely to be anything in the building.
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:37 PM
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^ It's the same thing here in Canada. Bags are checked going in.

So the victims (dead or wounded) will be children, their parents or arena staffers.

Again, not that anyone who dies or is wounded in a terrorism attack will ever "deserve" what they get. To even think so is ludicrous enough.

But, if you dedicated your life to it, could you come up with a list of victims who could possibly have less to do with whatever messed up "cause" the perpetrators of this ignominious attack had in mind?
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Old 05-22-2017, 06:55 PM
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The o2 arena in London has heightened it's security. That's where Ariana is meant to be headed next. I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't go ahead, and I wouldn't blame her either, she may be safe, but no way is she okay.

Yes, the victims will be children, parents, and arena staff. No one would ever deserve this, but them targeting children makes it harder to stomach. I'm not scared, this won't stop me going to concerts in the future, I'm angry.

There's now conflicting reports of where the explosion was, some witnesses are saying inside, others are saying just outside. There were initial rumours of two explosions but police don't think that was the case, but witnesses are saying there were nuts and bolts on the floor, so it may have been a nail bomb.

In the midst of tragedy though, good always shines through. We're hearing stories of parents that were there with their own children stopping to calm down and help the unaccompanied minors in the arena. People in Manchester opening their homes to those that have no way of getting home with the trains down. The taxi drivers taking people out of the area for free. The people that left their homes to go and pick up complete strangers to take them somewhere safe. We need those stories right now.
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Old 05-22-2017, 07:05 PM
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this is so sad.

Bags get checked hereto and certain places only allow clear bags.

local news here just showd a video from a car'ss dashcam and it shows a bright flash off the side of a building.
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Old 05-22-2017, 07:21 PM
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Originally Posted by BlondieLeigh (View Post)
In the midst of tragedy though, good always shines through. We're hearing stories of parents that were there with their own children stopping to calm down and help the unaccompanied minors in the arena. People in Manchester opening their homes to those that have no way of getting home with the trains down. The taxi drivers taking people out of the area for free. The people that left their homes to go and pick up complete strangers to take them somewhere safe. We need those stories right now.
And regardless of what happens next, this is the part that I hope people focus on.

There is a special place in hell for people who think it's okay to blow up bombs in crowded areas, and an ever specialler place for people who do that knowing that the crowds will be mostly kids.

But, on the whole, people are good. Which is why they're never gonna win. There are more of us than there are of them. Call me naive, if you want. Maybe you'd be right. But look at what ordinary citizens of Manchester did when they heard the bomb(s) here.

It reminds me of the evacuation of Dunkirk, back during World War II. When Allied troops were surrounded at Dunkirk and, sure, the UK military came to the rescue, but so did hundreds upon hundreds of "ordinary" British civilians.

They didn't win then and they're not gonna win now. Not when their own actions speaks of their cowardice.
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Old 05-23-2017, 04:19 AM
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Terrible news from Manchester

Thoughts are with the families friends and Manchester
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Old 05-23-2017, 06:41 AM
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It's definitely hit close to home for me, I go there a lot. It's a terrible thing to happen, but could have been a lot worse had he gotten into the arena itself; there must have been at least 15,000 people in attendance. The foyer is accessible to anyone. You can access it directly from the train station below and the street, so there's very little security could have done about it.
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Old 05-23-2017, 07:14 AM
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The news are saying the show was sold out, so 21,000 plus arena staff, plus Ariana and her people.

People in the arena/witnesses are saying the arena's security didn't know what to do. As unexpected as the situation is, that is kind of unacceptable. At least the hospitals were prepared - news are saying they had a terrorism drill months ago.

I'm wondering what the o2 will be like for the next couple of days following this. Seems the same general setup where anyone can get in the building to restaurants etc. without being searched. Security has been heightened, but who even knows what that means.
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Old 05-23-2017, 10:35 AM
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starting to see the faces of those who were killed on the news. heartbreaking. the little 8yr old girl...just...so sad.

's for you Dave and for everyone else as well
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