Manchester Arena victim "probably would have survived" had it not been for inadequacies in emergency response
A report into the emergency response after the explosion at Manchester Arena has concluded at least one of those who died could have lived
Last updated 3rd Nov 2022
One of the 22 people who died when a terrorist detonated a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester "probably would have survived" if the subsequent response by the emergency services had been better according to a new report.
The 22 were killed when suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device at Manchester Arena in 2017.
Today the second volume of findings from the inquiry into the attack has been released revealing "inadequacies" in response by organisations including GMP (Greater Manchester Police), GMFRS (Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service) and NWAS (North West Ambulance Service).
The report, written by the inquiry Chairman Sir John Saunders, details how "the performance of the emergency services was far below the standard, it should have been" and one of the victims, John Atkinson, "probably have survived had it not been for inadequacies in the emergency response."
Mr Atkinson was around six metres from the bomb when it went off and suffered serious injuries, mainly to his legs.
"Staff were not trained sufficiently"
Shortly after the explosion, Mr Atkinson was assisted by a member of the public who tried to reduce his bleeding by tying a belt around his legs.
This was the first instance in which Sir John Saunders says there was an opportunity to save Mr Atkinson.
He writes that proper training had not been given to ETUK staff, a company that was contracted to provide healthcare for the event at the arena:
"Medical tourniquets should have been applied to both of John Atkinson’s legs and haemostatic dressings applied to his wounds well before 23:16.
"ETUK staff should all have been competent to use such treatments and equipped to do so.
"They were not or at least not sufficiently. Responsibility for that failure rests with the management of ETUK, namely Ian Parry, and SMG, who should have ensured that the event healthcare provider was competent.
"More NWAS paramedics should have been in the City Room before 23:16. If that had occurred, it is likely that they would
have identified the need for urgent treatment and/or evacuation of John Atkinson.
"That did not occur. Responsibility for that failure rests with NWAS. Such treatment would, I am satisfied, have enabled John Atkinson to arrive at hospital prior to having a cardiac arrest and would probably have saved his life."