Barcelona Attack Witnesses Describe Screams And Panic As Van Drives Into People In Las Ramblas Area

'We were locked in a shop around the corner from Las Ramblas'.
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Witnesses have described hearing people scream as they ran from the scene in Barcelona where a van crashed into crowds of people.

At least 13 people died and 50 were injured when the van crashed on a pavement in the Las Ramblas area,a broad, long street of stalls and shops, on Thursday afternoon.

Police are treating it as a terror attack.

Police at the scene
Police at the scene
JOSEP LAGO via Getty Images

Briton Ethan Spibey, who was nearby when it happened, described having to flee.

Just had to run away from Las Ramblas, people screaming, not sure what's happened but hope everyone is safe 💙

— Ethan Spibey (@EthanLDN) August 17, 2017

He was later locked in a church near Las Ramblas and said police had told him a suspect was on foot.

Been locked in a church near Las Ramblas, police say suspect is on foot in area. Jeeze, this is scary ❤️

— Ethan Spibey (@EthanLDN) August 17, 2017

The church was providing food and water to “visibly shaken” people it was sheltering.

Told there's a hostage situation nearby and suspect is on foot. Church providing food and water to some visibly shaken locals and tourists 💙

— Ethan Spibey (@EthanLDN) August 17, 2017
Abandoned air balloons of a street vendor tied to a chair fly at the empty Plaza de Catalunya after the incident
Abandoned air balloons of a street vendor tied to a chair fly at the empty Plaza de Catalunya after the incident
JOSEP LAGO via Getty Images
La Rambla in Barcelona
La Rambla in Barcelona
HuffPost
Police stand guard after the incident
Police stand guard after the incident
JOSEP LAGO via Getty Images

Spibey told Sky News: “I was just walking towards Las Ramblas with my boyfriend and there seemed to be some police there already.

“All of a sudden there was just real kind of chaos. People just started running and screaming.

“There was loud bangs and people just started running into shops.

“There was a mini stampede where we were down one of the alleyways.

“So we’ve just now been locked into a church.

A police source has said the driver of the van fled the vehicle on foot after crashing into a group of people.

Tom Gueller told the BBC: “I heard screams and a bit of a crash and then I just saw the crowd parting and this van going full pelt down the middle of the Ramblas and I immediately knew that it was a terrorist attack or something like that.”

Australian Susan McLean she she saw “the panic and people running” and had now taken shelter in a shop around the corner.

To let all know we are safe in Barcelona. Saw the panic and people running. We were locked in a shop around the corner from Las Ramblas

— Susan McLean (@TheCybercop1) August 17, 2017

Reports of the number killed varied massively as the developing picture emerged. Local radio reported 13 people dead at one point.

A woman who witnessed what happened and sheltered in a shop nearby, told Spanish TV: “I see the police and ambulances pass by.

“I am barricaded inside. A lot of people have come to hide in the store. We have a family with little girls in here.”

Another witness said: “A lot of screams have been heard and I went out to the balcony.

“There are a lot of people lying on the ground, a lot of blood. Some of them looked like they were dead.”

Police urged people not to share pictures and video of the victims. One video showed people on the ground in the pedestrianised middle of the street.

Footage showed the police presence at the scene and what was left of the van.

A look at the van that reportedly slammed into pedestrians in #Barcelona. Several ppl injured. Motive/cause unknown. pic.twitter.com/ezyPp289k8

— Kevin Rincon (@KevRincon) August 17, 2017

#LOULTIMO | La policía está desalojando la Rambla en Plaza Catalunya pic.twitter.com/qsFSlCUzkp

— Renan Herrera 🔹 (@renanfco26) August 17, 2017

pic.twitter.com/JWamosc0PY

— Pablo #SÍ (@Pablo_Morante_) August 17, 2017

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Check back for the fullest version. Follow The HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

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