Fears of an “active shooter” raised during Manchester Arena bombing inquiry
Ambulance Service gets report of shots shortly after the blast
More information is coming out regarding the blast outside the Manchester Arena.
Until now a lot of questions were raised as to why it took so long for fire crews to arrive at the scene back on May 17, 2017.
The inquiry heard a call from North West Ambulance Services (NWAS) to fire control gave reports of “people being shot” just minutes after the bombing.
In accordance with national guidelines firefighters kept away from the area as a result.
Two hours after the incident firefighters finally arrived according to the inquiry.
Greater Manchester Police didn’t declare it a major incident until a day later.
In Tuesday’s hearing, investigators heard a 12-minute call between NWAS and North West Fire Control (NWFC).
On the tape, you can hear an NWAS caller saying “we are getting reports of people getting shot”.
He was told by the NWFC responder that his reports of a bomb explosion, 60 casualties, and an “active shooter” would be logged.
Other recordings were heard during Tuesday’s inquiry.
One involved a call between NWAS and its tactical department at around 22:43 after the bombing.
On that call, a woman stated “we’ve got a marauding terrorist incident at Manchester Arena”.
British Transport Police at the time reported 50 casualties.
The call went on to say the incident had “nothing regarding an active shooter, so it may be a bomb”.
Minutes later Insp Dale Sexton, the force duty officer at GMP HQ declared Operation Plato, pre-agreed emergency response to a suspected marauding armed terrorist.
22 people died with hundreds more seriously hurt in the blast.
The inquiry continues. (JSL).
