On May 22, 2017, a joyful night of music turned into one of the most devastating tragedies. The concert was part of Grande’s Dangerous Woman Tour and was completely sold out. Moments after the singer finished her final song, and as the audience started going out, a massive explosion tore through the City Room, a large foyer area that connects the arena to the Victoria Exchange Complex and Victoria railway station.
The explosion was caused by a massive, homemade bomb that killed the bomber and twenty-two people in the space. The explosive device was packed inside a large backpack and contained a powerful explosive chemical called triacetone triperoxide (TATP). To maximize destruction, the device was filled with metal nuts and bolts designed to serve as deadly shrapnel.
The bomb caused immediate chaos and panic. The force of the explosion knocked people to the ground. The blast also blocked services at the nearby Manchester Victoria railway station.
More than 200 emergency calls were made, and around 60 ambulances and 400 police officers immediately attended.
According to a security review known as the Kerslake Report, the venue’s security measures were insufficient. While security teams performed bag searches, the checks were highly inconsistent. Crucially, the attacker, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, was able to easily walk into the City Room foyer with the heavy backpack because that specific area sat entirely outside the arena’s designated security zone, and ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Just after the attack, Grande tweeted: “from the bottom of my heart, i am so so sorry. i don’t have words.” Eleven days later, she returned to Manchester, visiting wounded fans and victims’ families.
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