#1 Boston Marathon Explosions - Three dead - dozens more injured

[Bev]

Three people have been reported dead after two large explosions went off near the finish line of the famous Boston Marathon, leaving behind a scene of unimaginable carnage.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said there was a loud explosion and emergency vehicles crowded the scene. Up to 60 people have been reported injured, dozens of them seriously.

Witness Dave Weigel took to social media to describe the scene after the smoke cleared. ‘I saw people’s legs blown off. Horrific. Two explosions. Runners were coming in and saw unspeakable horror,’ he wrote on Twitter.





Competitors and race organizers were crying as they fled the chaos. Bloody spectators were being carried to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners. A man was pictured with his lower leg blown off.

'There are a lot of people down,' said one man, whose bib No. 17528 identified him as Frank Deruyter of North Carolina. He was not injured, but marathon workers were carrying one woman, who did not appear to be a runner, to the medical area as blood gushed from her leg.

A Boston police officer was wheeled from the course with a leg injury that was bleeding.

About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another thunderous explosion could be heard a few seconds later.

Runner Laura McLean of Toronto told the Associated Press that she heard two explosions outside the medical tent.
'There are people who are really, really bloody,' McLean said. 'They were pulling them into the medical tent.'

Cherie Falgoust was waiting for her husband, who was running the race.

'I was expecting my husband any minute,' she said. 'I don't know what this building is ... it just blew. Just a big bomb, a loud boom, and then glass everywhere. Something hit my head. I don't know what it was. I just ducked.'

A spokesman for the Boston Marathon said that the race's headquarters are on lock down.

Train service on the green line between Kenmore and Park suspended, according to the MBTA.

Windows of Marathon sports store blown out by the force of the two blasts.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nish-line.html

[Bev]

(same link as above. Sorry to keep editing - these pics have only just gone up - the story is changing/updating as fast as I can copy/paste.)

[Bev]

BOSTON —Two explosions have been reported near the Boston Marathon finish line on Boylston Street as thousands of people gathered for the race, and there are reports of injuries.


At least two explosions were reported at the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday.


The blasts happened at about 2:50 p.m. near the intersection of Boylston and Exeter streets.

The first explosion happened across from the Lenox Hotel and the second blast was about 15 seconds later, witnesses said.

"I was turning the corner. I was near the Hynes (Convention) Center. I saw two explosions. I just turned around and ran. It was a fireball -- a huge fireball," one runner said.



Store fronts have been blown out, and there have been reports of dozens of injuries. A Boston police officer is said to be among the injured.

Witnesses said several victims lost limbs, the race was stopped and the area is being evacuated.

Many of the injured appeared to be spectators who gathered for the 117th running of the race.

NewsCenter 5's Sean Kelly said the impact of the explosions could be felt blocks away.

The victims were being taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

Read more: http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro...z/-/index.html

Twitter going mad, as you might expect. Some videos/more photos on left hand side of this link.

https://twitter.com/search?q=boston&src=typd

[littlefieldjohn]

'Patriots Day' in New England . I ran in this thing twice in the 1990s. Race went off at 12 noon or used to, so the winner probably crossed the line a little after 2PM.

[Bev]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22160978#TWEET724535 for video

Video and photographs from Boston show a scene of confusion, with emergency services descending on the scene and bloodied spectators being taken to a medical tent.
"There are a lot of people down," said one runner quoted by AP news agency.

[littlefieldjohn]

Big city authorities are typically on the highest levels of alert for events like a marathon, said Anthony Roman, a security expert.

“It is quite the counterterrorism effort,” said Mr. Roman, who runs Roman & Associates, a New York firm.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/us...thon.html?_r=0

[Bev]

Originally Posted by littlefieldjohn

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/us...thon.html?_r=0

Yeah - ok. So how come someone managed to apparently plant two bombs then?


-------------

Daily Mail now says twelve dead.

[Dan Smith]

Who do you suspect? The Penguin? Or maybe The Joker this time?

[littlefieldjohn]

Originally Posted by Bev

So how come someone managed to apparently plant two bombs then? Never mind.


-------------

Daily Mail now says twelve dead.

Indeed....

[littlefieldjohn]

Originally Posted by Dan Smith

Who do you suspect? The Penguin? Or maybe the joker this time?

DanSmith, you are crazy, no doubts. Probably not legally insane, but crazy nonetheless.

[Bev]

Police told the Boston Globe that are they still finding 'secondary devices,' and pleading with anyone still in the area to leave at once.

A controlled explosion was set for outside the city library.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nish-line.html


Red Cross (I think it was them) said on Twitter can people please text, not call, their relatives. Leave phone lines open.

[Dan Smith]

High explosives are not generally available to the public so my guess it is someone or some group connected to the government.

[Peer Fischer]

Always some Kenyan or Nigerian winning those damn marathons.

[Brenna Wolf]

Bombs Exploded At Boston Marathon 2013 - YouTube

Bombs Exploded At Boston Marathon 2013 - YouTube

Bomb Explodes at Boston Marathon Finish Line Many Injured - YouTube

Bomb Explodes at Boston Marathon Finish Line Many Injured - YouTube

[Zenos]

Video of the explosion

Explosions At Boston Marathon Finish Line - YouTube

Explosions At Boston Marathon Finish Line - YouTube

[Brenna Wolf]

Could just be disgruntled taxpayers.

[littlefieldjohn]

Originally Posted by Peer Fischer

Always some Kenyan or Nigerian winning those damn marathons.

Running /pounding 26 miles on a hard surface like a road just isn't something the human body is built to do .

[Angel Ramsey]

Originally Posted by Peer Fischer

Always some Kenyan or Nigerian winning those damn marathons.

That's because they're use to running from the lions.

[Steven L. Akins]

I'm having trouble finding any interest in this whatsoever.....

Hmm, nope, no interest.

[Dan Smith]

Originally Posted by Peer Fischer

Always some Kenyan or Nigerian winning those damn marathons.

They even run without shoes. Notice, no black cyclists, niggers can't maintain a mechanical contraption long enough to win, even if they stole the bike.