The 2013 Boston Marathon was tragically interrupted today by two explosions near the finish line. So far dozens of people have been seriously injured by what are thought to be two bombs placed near the medical tent close to the race’s finish line.
At 3 pm, approximately three hours after the winning runners passed the finish line, two explosions were heard just outside of the medical tent on the north side of Boylston St. Though the majority of the runners had already completed the race, several hundred were still on their way to the finish line, and those that were not near the blasts were rerouted. Thousands of bystanders gather at various points of the marathon to encourage participants, with the majority sitting in bleachers at the finish line. Hundreds of people were still gathered around the finish line at the time of the explosions.
The New York Times reports that the explosions have been confirmed by the Boston Police Department, but that the source of the explosions has not yet been determined. Witnesses on the scene suspected that the explosions, which occurred within seconds of each other, were bombs. The police have been treating them as such, responding to reports of suspicious packages along the marathon route.
Injuries were sustained by both marathon runners and observers, and those that could not be put into an ambulance were being treated at the marathon’s medical facility, which is close to the finish line. Buildings along the marathon’s route, including the marathon’s organizational offices and the media center for reporters, have been locked down, and those inside are unable to leave.
Runner Laura McLean of Toronto told CBS that she heard two explosions outside of the medical tent. “There are people who are really, really bloody,” she said. “They are pulling them into the medical tent.”
Authorities are currently working to treat those injured by the explosion, and photos show that the streets and sidewalks of Boston are stained with blood. The cause of the explosions has not yet been identified, and there are, at this time, no suspects.
The Boston Marathon is one of the oldest and most prestigious marathons in the world. Thousands of people gather each year to both compete and observe the Boston Marathon, and runners must qualify at a time trial in order to compete.
Image Credit: AP