Mistaken reports costly on night of Arena bombing

The inquiry into the Manchester Arena Bombing has heard how Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service were still trying to find out where they should meet other emergency services responding to the Manchester Arena attack after the last survivor had been evacuated.

The service had readied its specialist terror attack response but had been waiting at a station three miles from the arena after mistaken reports of an active shooter. Some fire crews did not arrive at Manchester Arena for more than two hours after the bombing.

The public inquiry will assess what the impact of the fire service’s absence from the scene was on those affected by the blast and whether that contributed, or may have contributed, to the loss of life.

Twenty-two people were killed and hundreds more injured when Isis supporter Salman Abedi detonated a homemade bomb among Ariana Grande fans leaving a concert.