http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4033762/tamworth-traveller-caught-up-in-nice-terror-attack/?cs=157
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A NEWCASTLE man holidaying in Nice has described how he and a friend narrowly avoided the horror as a truck drove into a crowd and killed at least 80 people.
Nick Davies and Hannah Garrick, from the Sunshine Coast, had been watching Bastille Day fireworks from the beachside Promenade des Anglais, metres from where the truck was stopped.
“We were celebrating at the fireworks display after eating dinner, standing across the road from the Hard Rock Cafe,” Mr Davies told the Newcastle Herald.
“We were quite close to the area, however had just left as the fireworks were finishing to walk back to the hotel.”
The Hard Rock Cafe is about half a block from where police eventually stopped the truck outside the Palais de la Meditarranee.
About 10.30pm Thursday local time, the truck had turned onto the promenade and ploughed into people for about 1.8 kilometres, killing and injuring dozens who had gathered to watch the fireworks.
The truck was “full of weapons and grenades,” the deputy mayor of Nice said on French television.
Mr Davies said the southern French city had been lit up by “non-stop sirens” since the attack.
He had seen people run past his hotel and heard police telling bystanders to move on.
The bloody scenes had been unimaginable earlier in the evening, as families and beachgoers celebrated the French national day.
“The mood today was brilliant,” Mr Davies said.
“The police band played on the promenade earlier in the evening with bands all around.”
Mr Davies said he would contact the Australian consulate, and that he was rethinking plans to be in Brussels next week for Belgium’s national day.
Tour company Topdeck said one of its customers was injured in the Nice attack; news agency AAP reported the tourist was Australian.
“As of 02.30 local time, all of our customers are safe and accounted for,” Topdeck said.
“Unfortunately one of our customers has reported some minor injuries. They are with Topdeck staff and are currently being tended to in hospital.”
