Manchester's Arndale Shopping centre evacuated after 'fireworks let off inside'
27 November 2019, 17:12 | Updated: 27 November 2019, 17:26
One visitor to Manchester's Arndale Shopping Centre described the incident as the most 'terrifying experience' of her life.
Shoppers fled from a Manchester Shopping Centre in panic after fireworks were reportedly let off inside.
According to witnesses, explosives were let off at around 4:35PM on Wednesday afternoon today (27 November).
Shannon Jaques described the incident as "the most terrifying experience" of her life.
She told the Manchester Evening News: "There was a loud bang and everyone in the centre started running for their lives assuming the worst.
"I got locked in a back room in the shop I was in with other people until the staff knew what was happening.
"Armed police showed up."
One person wrote on Twitter: "Idiots setting off fireworks in the Arndale centre and we got evacuated out the back of the shop thinking it was a terror attack."
Another added: "Came into the Arndale to do some early Christmas shopping only to be evacuated due to two p***** letting off fireworks!!
"Honestly I don’t think I have been that scared before in my life, there were people panicking and crying which made me immediately think the worst."
Someone letting off fireworks in the middle of the Arndale in todays current climate is genuinely one of the unfunniest things and that minute where you don’t know what’s going on is probably the most terrified I’ve ever been, what the fuck is wrong with people
— Sam Noble (@KnownAsNobbo) November 27, 2019
A Third wrote: "My friend who works in Manchester just called crying saying he was hiding cos there had just been a really loud bang in the Arndale."
And a fourth said: "Someone letting off fireworks in the middle of the Arndale in todays current climate is genuinely one of the unfunniest things and that minute where you don’t know what’s going on is probably the most terrified I’ve ever been, what the f*** is wrong with people".
#Incident | Earlier this afternoon (Wednesday 27 November 2019), we responded to an incident at the #Arndale Centre in Manchester city centre.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) November 27, 2019
Enquiries have since established that a number of fireworks were set off.
No arrests have been made and enquiries are still ongoing. pic.twitter.com/lag5WWO67l
The police have now released a statement, tweeting: "#Incident | Earlier this afternoon (Wednesday 27 November 2019), we responded to an incident at the #Arndale Centre in Manchester city centre.
"Enquiries have since established that a number of fireworks were set off. No arrests have been made and enquiries are still ongoing."
