Brussels explosions: Scots narrowly escape blast

A EUROPEAN Parliament worker from Inverurie said he was able to hear the Metro explosion during a one-minute silence for the airport terror attack.
A Belgian soldier stands guard outside the Maelbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP / Getty ImagesA Belgian soldier stands guard outside the Maelbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP / Getty Images
A Belgian soldier stands guard outside the Maelbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP / Getty Images

Andrew Bowie, 28, said that his wife narrowly escaped the blasts in the metro station as she passed through earlier that morning on her way to work.

“It has been surreal, I’m rattled,” Mr Bowie told the Evening Express. Mr Bowie works for Scottish MEP Ian Duncan.

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“I got to work, and we were getting ready for a minute’s silence for the casualties at the airport, when we hear the second attack.

Soldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty ImagesSoldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty Images
Soldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

“Maelbeek is the main metro for the parliament here, just a few hundred yards away.

“I’m just pleased everyone is safe, but it’s terrible what has happened.

“It’s horrible when this happens in a place you’re familiar with, seeing these places on the news is surreal.”

Michael Park, 56, from Stonehaven left Brussels this morning just after the explosions at the airport.

Soldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty ImagesSoldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty Images
Soldiers block the access to roads close to the Maalbeek metro station in Brussels. Picture: AFP/Getty Images

The chief executive officer of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association said he normally flew home and would probably have been at the airport at the time of the attacks, but decided this morning to take the Eurostar.

Mr Park said: “I’ve got some colleagues who are still stuck. Two people from Shetland in the parliament, which is in lock down, but they’re fine and they’re well.

“Normally I’d take the plane, but I just thought another half hour in bed would be great.

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“The bombs had went off just as I was entering the Eurostar terminal. I got a text from a colleague to say ‘Hope you’re not at the airport because it’s just been bombed’.

“I probably would have been there at that time.

“I did notice tightened security when I was out for dinner with colleagues last night. As we came back there was armoured cars and heavily armed police units and army units. You get the impression they knew something was going on.

“All of a sudden you’re getting a train which is going to be doing 120mph and you’re going through a tunnel.

“You’re thinking to yourself, ‘Jesus’, because NATO had said it was part of a coordinated attack.”