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Remembering the 15th June 1996, Manchester PIRA Bombing... On Saturday 15th June 1996, at 11:17 am, the Provisional IRA detonated a large lorry bomb (estimated 1,500 kg / 3,300 lb of explosives, primarily ammonium nitrate fertiliser mixed with Semtex) on Corporation Street in Manchester city centre, outside the Marks & Spencer store near the Arndale Centre. There were no fatalities: This remains miraculous given the bomb's size (the largest detonated in Great Britain since WWII and the biggest peacetime bomb in the UK). The rapid police evacuation of 75,000 people from the area, following IRA telephoned warnings 90 minutes earlier (with a codeword), prevented deaths. 212 people were injured. Most injuries were from flying glass and debris; many were minor, though some were serious. Hospitals across Greater Manchester treated casualties, with police even commandeering a Metrolink tram for transport. Mannequins blown from shop windows briefly caused confusion during searches. The explosion devastated the city centre, destroying or severely damaging buildings including Marks & Spencer and the sky bridge to the Arndale Centre. It affected a third of the city centre's retail space. Roughly 400 businesses within half a mile were impacted, with about a dozen buildings severely damaged (some beyond repair and later demolished). Glass and masonry were thrown widely; people up to ½ mile (800 m) away behind the cordon were showered with debris. A 15-metre crater was left. The blast could be heard up to 15 miles (24 km) away. Insurers estimated £700 million in damage at the time (with payouts around £411 million due to under-insurance). Total rebuilding costs reached over £1 billion in subsequent years. The bombing, while devastating, is often credited with accelerating Manchester's regeneration, leading to major redevelopment of the city centre by the early 2000s. No one has ever been convicted for the attack. A tragic but resilient chapter in Manchester's history; remembered for the city's response and recovery as much as the attack itself.