A blast at the end of an Ariana Grande concert attended by thousands of young fans in the northern English city of Manchester has killed at least 19 people and wounded 50 others, with police calling it a "terrorist incident". If confirmed, it would be the deadliest attack on Britain since four men killed 52 people in suicide bombings on London's transport system in July 2005. Police cars, bomb-disposal units and 60 ambulances raced to the scene at Manchester Arena after Monday night's explosion, which struck outside the venue as concertgoers were leaving. Police said they are still gathering information and are setting up a telephone hot-line to help people locate loved ones.
"So far 19 people have been confirmed dead with around 50 others injured," Ian Hopkins, Greater Manchester chief constable, said in a statement, adding that those wounded were being treated at six hospitals across Greater Manchester.
"This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise."
Police responded to reports of an explosion shortly after 10:35pm (21:35 GMT) at the arena, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people, where the US singer had been performing to an audience that included many children. "A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena," concert-goer Majid Khan, 22, told Britain's Press Association. Catherine Macfarlane told the Reuters news agency the blast hit after the concert was over.
"We were making our way out and when we were right by the door there was a massive explosion and everybody was screaming," Macfarlane said.
"It was a huge explosion - you could feel it in your chest. It was chaotic. Everybody was running and screaming and just trying to get out
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