Explosions
ripped through the departure hall of Brussels airport on Tuesday morning
killing 17 persons and wounding over 100 others, the Belgian news agency Belga
said.
The agency said gunshots were fired and there were shouts in
Arabic shortly before the explosions.
The blasts occurred four days after the arrest in Brussels of a
suspected contributor in November militant attacks in Paris that killed 130
people. Belgian police had been on alert for any retaliation action.
Social media displayed pictures of smoke rising from the
departure hall where windows had been shattered by the blasts. Passengers were
seen running away down a slipway.
Sky News television's Alex Rossi, at the scene, said he heard
two "very, very loud explosions".
"I could feel the building move. There was also dust and
smoke as well...I went towards where the explosion came from and there were
people coming out looking very dazed and shocked."
"The thinking here is that it is some kind of terrorist
attack - that hasn't been verified by any of the authorities here at the
airport."
Belgian
media said rail traffic to the airport was suspended. Brussels airport said it
had cancelled all flights and the complex had been evacuated.
"Don't
come to the airport - airport is being evacuated. Avoid the airport area.
Flights have been cancelled," the airport said.
Brussels Airport serves over 23 million passengers a year.
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