Blast at Ariana Grande concert: Manchester residents and businesses help stranded
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Jose Hong
An explosion ripped through a crowd of concert-goers following an Ariana Grande performance in the British city of Manchester on May 22 just before 10.35pm local time (May 23, 5.35am Singapore time).
The Greater Manchester Police - who said that so far 22 people, including children, have died and 59 were injured - are treating the blast outside the Manchester Arena as a terrorist incident.
Amid the chaos, many in the city are offering help to the scared and stranded.
Residents and businesses are using the hashtag #RoomforManchester on Facebook and Twitter to let the affected know they have a place to stay the night.
The mayor of greater Manchester also publicised the hashtag.
Meanwhile, others on Twitter looking for lost friends and family have taken to using the hashtag to give their own posts greater reach.
At least one taxi company is offering to drive any stranded people "home or to a safer place".
And there are unconfirmed reports that about 50 children are being sheltered at the Holiday Inn Express in the city centre.
