Manchester Arena explosion: 22 dead and more than 60 hurt

At least 22 people were killed and 60 more wounded by a suicide
bomber at the Manchester Arena last night. The blast occurred at
10.33pm, at the end of a concert by the American singer Ariana
Grande.

“Children and teenagers are feared among the dead and injured
because of the very young demographic of the pop star’s fans, with
desperate parents and relatives waiting through the night for news
of loved ones,” The Independent reports.

The blast “left carnage inside the concert venue”, says The Guardian. “Medics described treating wounds
consistent with shrapnel injury”.

“People were just lying on the floor, people with massive,
massive injuries,” one witness said. “It was utter chaos.”

General election campaigning has been suspended and Theresa May
will chair a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee
later today.

“We are working to establish the full details of what is being
treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack,” the Prime
Minister said. “All our thoughts are with the victims and the
families of those who have been affected.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed a few moments ago that the
attack was carried out by one man carrying an “improvised explosive
device”, and that he had died at the scene. Chief Constable Ian
Hopkins said officers were working to establish whether he had
received assistance.

“The blast was relatively small,” BBC correspondent Matthew Price told the Today
programme. “It did a lot of damage in a small area, because a lot
of people were packed into that area.” 

The death toll makes it “the worst event of its kind in Britain
since the 7/7 bombing in 2005, which hit London’s transport
network, killing 52 people,” The Guardian reports.

Grande, 23, who was not injured in the blast, has suspended her
world tour and released a brief statement.

broken.
from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don’t have
words.

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) May 23, 2017

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, said the “barbaric attack” had
been intended to “sow fear”.

“Its intention is to divide. But it will not succeed,” Rudd
said.