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'You could smell the burning': Witness accounts from Manchester

Witnesses recount the explosion and aftermath at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, U.K., that killed at least 22 people and injured 59.

Concert-goers rushed to the exits after a deadly explosion Monday night

Witness: 'They were walking up and down the street looking for their parents'

8 years ago
Duration 1:03
Witnesses describe chaos in aftermath of Manchester concert attack

Accounts of what happened Monday night at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, U.K., are coming in following a deadly explosion that killed at least 19 people and injured more than 50.

Here are some examples of stories from people who were at the concert:

Jess Kelly, 22

"We were about to go down the stairwell into the concession area where it happened and we heard the explosion," Kelly told CBC's Carole MacNeil. "Everybody turned to the left, screamed and started running."

Ariana Grande concert-goer Jess Kelly describes explosion at Manchester arena

8 years ago
Duration 3:42
At least 22 people are dead and dozens injured, police say

Jenny Brewster

Brewster was leaving the concert with her 11-year-old daughter when the blast hit.

"As I turned around, boom, one loud noise," she told Sky News. "A gentleman said 'run!' so we ran."

"You could smell the burning [outside]."

Majid Khan, 22

"A huge bomb-like bang went off that hugely panicked everyone and we were all trying to flee the arena," Khan told Britain's Press Association.

"It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us as they were trying to exit."

Police escort members of the public from the Manchester Arena on Monday night following an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Oliver Jones, 17

"The bang echoed around the foyer of the arena and people started to run."

Paula Robinson, 48

Robinson was at the train station next to the arena with her husband when she felt the explosion and saw dozens of teenage girls screaming and running away from the arena.

"We ran out," she told Reuters. "It was literally seconds after the explosion. I got the teens to run with me."

Deadly blast at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, U.K.

8 years ago
Duration 3:37
British police say at least 19 people are dead and dozens are injured.

With files from CBC News and Reuters