Shocked MEP was in bombed Brussels Metro station 30 minutes before explosion

Richard Howitt, Labour MEP for the East of England, was in Maelbaek Metro station just 30 minutes before it was bombed this morning.

He has tweeted to say he is safely inside the EU building in Brussels.

Speaking to Radio 5 Live he said he knew the metro station and Brussels Zaventem Airport well and was shocked by what had happened.

He said he was just pleased that many of his friends and colleagues were safe inside the EU building.

Two explosions have been heard at Brussels airport, with video and pictures showing smoke rising from one of the terminal buildings.

Several people are feared dead and many injured after suspected terrorist bomb attacks in Brussels.

There were two explosions at Brussels Airport at 8am local time. Local media reports 13 dead and at least 35 injured. Another blast was reported in a Metro station close to the EU buildings.

“I knew it was an explosion because I’ve been around explosions before,” said Denise Brandt, an American woman interviewed by Sky television.

She added: “I felt the explosion, the way it feels through your body. And we just looked at each other and I said ‘Let’s go this way’.

“It was over there. There was just this instinct to get away from it. Then we saw people running, crying, toward us. So I knew we were going in the right direction and away from it.”