Twenty-two people died in the bombing on 22 May 2017 at the end of an Ariana Grande concert.
According to BBC News, Mr Blake told the BBC he believed “big mistakes were made that night” and those in charge had “got it all wrong”.
The inquiry has heard about a series of failings in the planning and preparation for such an attack, and the response to the bombing, by emergency and security services, including
The ambulance, fire and police services have all apologised but Mr Blake said that did not mean anything to him.
He told the BBC of the anguish he felt waiting for help to arrive.
“It just seemed to last forever. It seemed to go on and on and on and no-one was coming so I just kept trying to talk to John.
“He kept saying ‘I’m going to die, aren’t I?’ I kept saying ‘no you are not’.”
Mr Atkinson was carried out of the arena foyer on a metal barrier as a makeshift stretcher via the stairs to the casualty clearing station at the adjoining Manchester Victoria railway station.
Mr Blake said he left him with a paramedic, and he was “still talking” so he thought he would survive.
He spoke of his shock at finding out Mr Atkinson had died when he was being treated in hospital for his own injuries the next day.
“It was on the news in the waiting room,” he said.
“I went outside… and just broke down.”
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