With AAP.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed 19 fatalities after an explosion occurred at a local concert venue.
Posting on Twitter, authorities confirmed that more than 50 others were also injured in the incident, which is currently being investigated by North West Counter Terrorism Unit.
British Transport Police say the explosion occurred in the foyer of the Manchester Arena at roughly 10.30pm local time, as a concert by US singer Ariana Grande was finishing.
Footage posted to Twitter showed fans, many of them young, screaming and running from the venue, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people.
A witness cited that they saw “20 to 30 bodies” on the ground after the explosion occurred.
“There were bodies everywhere. I don’t know how we survived it, I really don’t know,” the witness said.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May described the incident as “an appalling terrorist attack”.
“We are working to establish the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack,” she said in a statement.
“All our thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected.”
