At least one person was killed when two explosions ripped through the departure hall at Brussels airport Tuesday, police said.
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Two explosions devastated the departure area of the Zaventem airport in the Belgian capital, triggering panic in the city of Brussels on Tuesday.
Belgian officials say the casualty toll from three explosions in the capital on Tuesday morning is 26 dead and at least 136 injured. The Belga news agency said shots were fired and words in Arabic shouted before the explosions.
An explosion was heard at Maalbeek metro station at around 8.30am.
The Belgian Crisis Center asked public to use text messages and social media for communication in order to reduce congestion on telephone services.
The Brussels airport tweeted that there have been two explosions and said that “the building” is being evacuated.
Traveler Anthony Barrett told CNN he heard commotion outside his hotel across from the terminal building.
Zaventem airport remains sure until six o’clock tomorrow morning close.
The U.S. Embassy in Brussels is recommending that Americans in Belgium stay where they are and avoid public transportation.
Shortly after the airport blasts there was a further explosion at Maelbeek metro station, one of the closest to the headquarters of the European Union.
Authorities have shut down Brussels airport and the subway system.
All flights have been canceled at Brussels Airport for the rest of the day.
Kristalina Georgieva, the vice president of the European Commission, said that all the organization’s institutions are at “alert level orange” and that all meetings on its premises and outside have been canceled.
Belgium’s prime minister has told people to stay home.
London’s Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, would not confirm it was stepping up security but said it was “working with the police at Heathrow who are providing a high visibility presence”.
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The blasts come just four days after alleged mastermind of Paris attacks, Saleh Abdesalam, was captured by Belgian security forces in a joint operation with French forces.
