- Title: Teenagers describe chaos, say bags were not checked at Manchester concert
- Date: 23rd May 2017
- Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (MAY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICE CORDON WITH MANCHESTER ARENA IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEBASTIAN DIAZ, 19-YEAR-OLD, WHO TRAVELLED FROM NEWCASTLE FOR CONCERT, SAYING: "We were in the area 114 in the Arena and just as we were leaving after the last song we heard the explosion when we got to the foyer doors and we just looked behind us and there was chaos. In front of us people were running past the doors screaming looking behind them and we were in two minds as to whether to stay in the Arena and just seek shelter or run, try and get out you know. We decided to go out and we ran, and people were screaming around us and pushing down the stairs to go outside and people were falling down, girls were crying and we saw these women being treated by paramedics, they had open wounds on their legs, no shoes, it was just chaos." MANCHESTER ARENA (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEBASTIAN DIAZ, 19-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "It was literally just a minute after it ended. Lights came on and bomb went off. REPORTER ASKING: "What did you hear?" "Just screams, people were shouting 'It's a bomb' 'It's just balloons' 'It's a speaker that's popped' or something. Just everyone was confused, no one knew. The sound itself was just the loudest noise I've heard." VARIOUS OF POLICE CORDONS ON ROADS NEAR SURROUNDING ARENA (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEBASTIAN DIAZ, 19-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "Apparently, bags weren't being checked." (SOUNDBITE) (English) KIERON FERRIES, 17-YEAR-OLD, WHO TRAVELLED FROM NEWCASTLE FOR CONCERT, SAYING: " We never got checked when we entered the venue. A few people that we spoke to, like friends that we'd met before and after the gig, they said their bags weren't been checked or anything like that. And usually, I am quite a regular gig goer so I am used to getting bags checked for security purposes but there was no... no..." (SOUNDBITE) (English) SEBASTIAN DIAZ, 19-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "They just scanned our tickets." (SOUNDBITE) (English) KIERON FERRIES, 17-YEAR-OLD, SAYING: "We just went straight in. No security checks whatsoever." VARIOUS OF POLICE ON STREET
- Embargoed: 6th June 2017 08:46
- Keywords: eyewitness arena police security
- Location: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Bombing (non-military),Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0016I26WJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A teenager who attended a concert in the English city of Manchester described on Tuesday (May 23) the chaos that followed an explosion caused by a suicide bomber on Monday night (May 22).
At least 22 people died and 59 people were wounded in the incident that took place as thousands of fans streamed out of the concert by U.S. singer Ariana Grande.
Many of the fans at the concert were young. The explosion sparked panic as thousands of people rushed for the exits, 19-year old Sebastian Diaz told Reuters.
Diaz and his friend 17-year old Kieron Ferries, both of whom had travelled from Newscastle to attend the concert, told Reuters their bags had not been checked before they entered the concert venue.
Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said the incident was being treated as a "terrorist incident" which was believed to have been "conducted by one man." - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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