At least 30 people are feared dead and many wounded after a suspected suicide bombing and explosions at Brussels Airport and a Metro station in the Belgian capital.

Witnesses said the airport blasts happened shortly before 8am local time (7am GMT) in the departure hall near the check-in desks for American Airlines and Brussels Airlines.

Shortly afterwards, another explosion was reported at the Maalbeek (Maelbeek) station, near the European Council headquarters and other EU buildings. The capital's entire public transport system was being shut down.

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The Belga news agency reported that shots were fired before the explosions and shouting was heard in Arabic. But a witness, David Crunelle, said he did not hear "Islamic sentences".

Authorities have not released a statement confirming final casualty figures but Maggie de Block, the health minister, said 11 people were killed and 81 injured in twin explosions at the airport.

Brussels' STIB transport authority said that at least 15 people were killed and 55 wounded at Maalbeek station but added that the toll was "provisional".

A Sky News journalist who was checking in at the time said he heard two very large explosions before being moved away from the area and that speculation of a terror attack was spreading.

An American couple, Andrew and Denise Brandt, said they felt the blast "like a wave" as they shopped on the other side of security barriers, before hundreds of people started running towards them.

Zach Mouzoun, who arrived on a flight from Geneva about 10 minutes before the first blast, told France's BFM television that the second explosion brought down ceilings and ruptured pipes, mixing water with blood from victims.

“It was atrocious," he said. “There was blood everywhere, injured people, bags everywhere. We were walking in the debris. It was a war zone.”

Belgium's federal prosecutor told local broadcasters that a suicide bomber was responsible for at least one of the explosions.

A spokesperson confirmed three explosions in total - two at Brussels Airport and one in the subway station Maelbeek.

Footage showed passengers running from the terminal building as smoke poured through smashed windows.

Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport Show all 30 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In pictures: Terror attacks at Brussels airport 1/30 A man carries an injured person in Brussels Airport, after explosions ripped through the departure hall 2/30 Travellers get to their feet in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after explosions 3/30 A man is wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels 4/30 A man speaks on a mobile phone in Brussels Airport, after the explosions ripped through the departure hall 5/30 Belgian police officers detain a man at the Gare du Midi train station in Brussels 6/30 A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels 7/30 People stand near Brussels airport after being evacuated following explosions that rocked the facility in Brussels 8/30 Crew and passengers are evacuated from Zaventem Bruxelles International Airport after an attack in Brussels 9/30 Passengers gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem, following its evacuation after blasts rocked the main terminal of Brussels airport 10/30 Two women wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels 11/30 Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels 12/30 Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels 13/30 Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels 14/30 People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels 15/30 People are evacuated from the scene after two explosions were heard at Brussels Airport 16/30 People wait outside of the Brussels Airport after evacuation 17/30 People leave the airport area after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem 18/30 Passengers comfort each other as they are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem 19/30 People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels 20/30 Emergency services attend the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters 21/30 Injured people at the scene at Brussels Airport after two explosions were heard PA 22/30 The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA 23/30 People wait outside of the Zaventem airport after two explosions were heard PA 24/30 Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Brussels Airport 25/30 A view of the scene after the explosions at Brussels airport PA 26/30 Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters 27/30 The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA 28/30 The view of the Brussels airport after the explosion PA 29/30 Smoke is seen at Brussels airport in Brussels AP 30/30 A photo shows cars on a blocked highway near Zaventem, Brussels National airport, after two explosions rocked the main hall of Brussels Airport Getty Images 1/30 A man carries an injured person in Brussels Airport, after explosions ripped through the departure hall 2/30 Travellers get to their feet in a smoke filled terminal at Brussels Airport after explosions 3/30 A man is wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels 4/30 A man speaks on a mobile phone in Brussels Airport, after the explosions ripped through the departure hall 5/30 Belgian police officers detain a man at the Gare du Midi train station in Brussels 6/30 A police officer stands guard as people are evacuated from Brussels airport, after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels 7/30 People stand near Brussels airport after being evacuated following explosions that rocked the facility in Brussels 8/30 Crew and passengers are evacuated from Zaventem Bruxelles International Airport after an attack in Brussels 9/30 Passengers gather near Brussels airport in Zaventem, following its evacuation after blasts rocked the main terminal of Brussels airport 10/30 Two women wounded in Brussels Airport in Brussels 11/30 Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels 12/30 Passengers and airport staff are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem near Brussels 13/30 Broken windows seen at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels 14/30 People leave the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels 15/30 People are evacuated from the scene after two explosions were heard at Brussels Airport 16/30 People wait outside of the Brussels Airport after evacuation 17/30 People leave the airport area after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem 18/30 Passengers comfort each other as they are evacuated from the terminal building after explosions at Brussels Airport in Zaventem 19/30 People react as they walk away from Brussels airport after explosions rocked the facility in Brussels 20/30 Emergency services attend the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters 21/30 Injured people at the scene at Brussels Airport after two explosions were heard PA 22/30 The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA 23/30 People wait outside of the Zaventem airport after two explosions were heard PA 24/30 Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Brussels Airport 25/30 A view of the scene after the explosions at Brussels airport PA 26/30 Emergency services at the scene of explosions at Zaventem airport near Brussels Reuters 27/30 The aftermath of the explosions at Brussels airport PA 28/30 The view of the Brussels airport after the explosion PA 29/30 Smoke is seen at Brussels airport in Brussels AP 30/30 A photo shows cars on a blocked highway near Zaventem, Brussels National airport, after two explosions rocked the main hall of Brussels Airport Getty Images

The airport, which was evacuated, has been closed to all departures and arrivals as investigations continue. Rail services have been suspended.

A spokesperson for Brussels Airport said: "There have been two explosions at the airport. Building is being evacuated. Don't come to the airport area.

"All airport operations have been suspended until further notice. Passengers that are still located in other area's in the airport are asked to remain calm and wait for further information."

The Belgian interior minister, Jan Jambon, said the national terror alert would be raised to its maximum level of four in the wake of the explosions.

Charles Michel, the Prime Minister, said the government was following the situation "minute by the minute" and that victims and bystanders were the priority.

A spokesperson for American Airlines said: “We are aware of an incident at the Brussels airport departure hall and are taking care of our customers, employees and contractors. At this time, all of our employees and contractors are accounted for with no reported injuries.

"American Airlines flight 751 (from Brussels to Philadelphia) has been cancelled for today. When operations at the airport resume, we will re-accommodate our customers."

Brussels has been under increased security measures since November's Paris attacks and has seen several operations in recent weeks linked to the hunt for Salah Abdeslam, who was caught on Friday.

Belgium's national crisis centre said all Metro stations, trains and public transport systems were being shut down in Brussels, urging residents to stay at home.

Meanwhile, EU institutions including those headquartered near Maalbeek station in Brussels were put on alert level orange, seeing meetings cancelled and access restricted and federal buildings were evacuated.

As armed police and soldiers patrolled the streets, two men were filmed being detained at gunpoint outside the Bruxelles-Nord railway station, which was closed following the explosions.

Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, wrote on Twitter: “My thoughts with Brussels and its citizens after these heinous attacks.”

Airports across Europe were increasing precautions this morning, including at Gatwick and Heathrow, which said there would be a "high visibility" police presence.

David Cameron said he would be chairing an emergency Cobra meeting with senior ministers and advisers later on Tuesday morning.

The Foreign Office is advising British citizens to follow the instructions of Belgian security services and to remain vigilant in crowded areas.

The official threat to the UK from international terrorism has stood at "severe" - indicating that an attack is “highly likely'' - since August 2014.

Are you in Brussels? Contact lizzie.dearden@independent.co.uk or call +44 0203 615 2419.

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