At least 34 people dead and 186 more injured on suspected multiple terror attack in Brussels’ Maelbeek metro train station near the European Union offices with the metro, tram and bus services operations shut down.
BRUSSELS, March 22 — All metro, tram and bus services have been shut down following explosions in the Brussels airport and the Maelbeek station close to the European Union institutions in the city center on Tuesday, the city’s public transport operator STIB announced.
“Due to the events in Brussels, at the request of the police. No metro, tram or bus is operated,” STIB announced on its official website.
A witness said the metro train she boarded stopped halfway while heading from Arts-Loi to Maelbeek. She said there was a strong smell of burnt metal and people have to get out of the train and walk on the track towards Arts-Loi to get out. Outside, police vehicles were “everywhere,” she said.
The witness related she saw a body on the ground with a cover while walking past the Maelbeek station.
Reports have put the death toll in the explosions as high as 20.
The country’s threat level has been raised from three to four, the highest level.
BRUSSELS, March 22 — The terror threat level in Belgium has been raised to the maximum, level 4, after two explosions in the departures hall at Brussels airport on Tuesday morning.
The Belgian federal police has confirmed one dead and multiple injuries. Several Belgian media are reporting at least 11 fatalities and 25 injured.
One airport worker told Flemish public broadcaster VRT, “I was on my break and heard and felt a huge explosion. We can see the departures hall from here, and I saw a plume of smoke rising up. The windows are completely shattered. People are walking around in shock.”
A video on Twitter showed crowds running from the terminal in panic amid broken glass and heavy smoke.
Trains and other public transport to the airport have been cancelled, the Belgian national rail operator SNCB said.
Emergency services are in attendance, and no flights are currently landing or taking off. (Newswire Services)
#BREAKING: Two loud explosions at #Zaventem airport in #Brussels pic.twitter.com/JFw9RGLjnh
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) March 22, 2016
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