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British police have confirmed 22 people have died – and over 50 are injured – following an explosion heard in the foyer of Manchester Arena in England, post U.S. popstar Ariana Grande’s concert.

Loud bangs – reportedly from the use of two nail bombs – were heard near the ticket office with one witness describing the explosion as so big that “you could feel it in your chest.”

“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.

Another man, Andy Horley who was at the concert with his wife and daughter, was reportedly blown off his feet when the explosion occurred and was unconscious. When he came to, he told BBC there was “several bodies” around him.

David Richardson was at the concert with his 13-year-old daughter and has told Manchester Evening News of the explosion’s aftermath. “It was about 40 feet behind us near one of the exits,” he recalled. “Then we saw smoke. Everybody just fled. We saw blood on people when we got outside – People were running all over the place.”

While bomb squad detectives are working with police to determine what has happened – and if this is the only attack – Manchester Police have issued the following statement via Twitter confirming a number of fatalities.

 

Just one leg of Grande’s international #DangerousWoman tour, several people presumed the bangs were the balloons popping – props that had fallen from the ceiling during Grande’s finale. But as people began screaming and running from the venue, it appeared to be something more sinister. A representative for the popstar has confirmed she is “okay”.

Manchester Arena is one of the largest indoor arenas in the world with a capacity of 21,000. 

More to come.