Gary O'Neil of the Manchester Fire Brigade said, "The Arndale Center, which is the heart of the city shopping area, the whole side, the gable end, has just been blown away." The explosion blew out windows within a half-mile radius. O'Neil said that the fire brigade had to handle several small fires after the explosion.
Forty injured victims, most suffering wounds from flying glass, were taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary. Another hospital reported treating 21 victims, including two people in serious condition. Numerous other victims, most with minor injuries, were reportedly treated at other hospitals.
The telephone warning was called in at about 10:00 a.m. (0500 EDT). Police bomb squad experts were probing a suspicious vehicle with a mechanical device when the van exploded at about 11:20 a.m. (0620 EDT).
Manchester, which is located about 180 miles northwest of London, was last hit by an IRA bomb on 3 December 1992. 60 people were hurt when two bombs exploded during a weekday rush hour.
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