FIFTEEN CRITICAL AFTER BOSTON ATTACK
Jimmy Golen, agencies, AAPApril 16, 2013, 1:11 pm
The two bombs that exploded in the crowded streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, have killed at least three people and injured more than 130 in a bloody scene of shattered glass and severed limbs, raising alarms terrorists might have struck again in the US.
A White House official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still unfolding said the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.
President Barack Obama vowed that those responsible will "feel the full weight of justice."
As many as two unexploded bombs were also found near the end of the 42-kilometre course as part of what appeared to be a well-coordinated attack, but they were safely disarmed, according to a senior US intelligence official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because of the continuing investigation.
The fiery twin blasts took place almost simultaneously and about 100 metres apart, knocking spectators and at least one runner off their feet, shattering windows and sending dense plumes of smoke rising over the street and through the fluttering national flags lining the course.
When the second bomb went off, the spectators' cheers turned to screams. As sirens blared, emergency workers and National Guardsmen assigned to the race for crowd control began climbing over and tearing down temporary fences to get to the blast site.
A pool of blood formed, and huge shards were missing from window panes as high as three stories.
"They just started bringing people in with no limbs," said runner Tim Davey, of Virginia. He said he and his wife, Lisa, tried to keep their children's eyes shielded from the gruesome scene inside a medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners, but "they saw a lot."
Boston police said three people were killed. Hospitals reported at least 134 injured, at least 15 of them critically. The injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to amputations. Many victims suffered lower leg injuries and shrapnel wounds. Some suffered ruptured eardrums.
Reports continue to come in of the horrific injuries doctors are dealing with in the aftermath of the bombings.
One Boston doctor said many victims were wounded with ball bearings, meaning bombs were designed for maximum damage.
A doctor from Brigham and Women's Hospital has also addressed the media.
He says the 31 blast patients at the hospital have been tested for any traces of biological residue from the blast but he says they have found none.
"It's routine to make sure that patients are not contaminated. The contaminant [that we are looking] for in this instance is radiation," he said.
"We have not had any deaths here. We are not anticipating any deaths, but in this first 24-hour period there is some instability.
"These are blast-type injuries, very high force, they cause a lot of damage to tissue and to bone."
Some 23,000 runners took part in the race, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathons, which attracts more than 500,000 spectators and winds up in the heart of central Boston, near the landmark Prudential Center and the Boston Public Library. It is held on Patriots Day, a Massachusetts state holiday which commemorates the first battles of the American Revolution in 1775.
The Federal Aviation Administration barred low-flying aircraft from within 5.6 kilometres of the site.
Obama was briefed on the explosions by Homeland Security adviser Lisa Monaco. Obama also told Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Governor Deval Patrick that his administration would provide whatever support was needed, the White House said.
"We still don't know who did this or why," Obama said, adding, "Make no mistake: We will get to the bottom of this."
The Federal Aviation Administration created a no-fly zone over the site of the explosions, and briefly ordered flights bound for Boston's Logan International Airport held on the ground at airports around the US
A few kilometres away from the finish line and around the same time, a fire broke out at the John F. Kennedy presidential library. The police commissioner said it may have been caused by an incendiary device but didn't appear to be related to the bombings.
The first loud explosion occurred on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. The second explosion could be heard a few seconds later.
They occurred about four hours into the race and two hours after the men's winner crossed the line. By that point, more than 17,000 of the runners had finished the race, but thousands of others were farther back along the course.
A senior US intelligence official said the two other explosive devices found nearby were being dismantled. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the findings publicly.
Australian athletes reveal bomb horror
It is described as the Holy Grail of marathons, and for many of the 153 Australians lining up with the more than 24,000 other runners for Boston's great race, it was a dream come true.
Just hours later, at the finish line where they expected to raise their hands in triumph, two bombs believed to be loaded with ball-bearings ripped through the crowd, killing three people - including an eight-year-old boy - and maiming more than 120 others.
It should have been a wonderful day for Australia.
Australia's number one ranked marathoner Jeff Hunt finished eighth in the men's race, another Aussie, Lee Troop came 15th, while Paralympians Kurt Fearnley and Christie Dawes came fifth in their respective wheelchair races.
Marathon man Robert de Castella, Olympic marathoner Benita Willis and triathlete champion Greg Welch were among the big name Australians in Boston for what is America's oldest and most prestigious marathon.
Also in the pack were other familiar names, including Gill Stapleton, head of Special Olympics Australia, and Helen Carmody, principal of exclusive Victorian girls' private school, Toorak College.
"The Boston Marathon is truly the Holy Grail of marathons," Ms Stapleton, who was running alongside Ms Carmody just 700 metres from the finish line, told AAP.
"Helen was on track to do a personal best and I was doing my sixth marathon in five years.
"It was a big moment for us, but then runners started stopping and we didn't know what was going on."
Word soon filtered through about the carnage ahead.
Elsewhere, many of the Australian contingent were physically rocked by the blast.
Hunt had finished the course and was back in his hotel room, de Castella was in the race's media centre when he was jolted while Fearnley was at a nearby restaurant.
He immediately sent out a Tweet.
"Couple of freaky explosions from the marathon finishing line," Fearnley wrote.
Later, when he discovered the cause and destruction left on the street, Fearnley said he was "sickened".
Despite the destruction and the number of Australian runners and spectators, it appears no Australians were injured, with Australian consulate staff checking hospitals to ensure this was the case.
There were initial fears for Emma Cameron, a member of de Castella's Indigenous Marathon Project, when she could not be located on the course, but de Castella, who won the race in 1986 relieved the fears when he later announced she was safe.
Social media, often criticised, again proved itself in the confusing hours after the explosions, with the Australians able to communicate with each other via Twitter and Facebook to ensure they were safe.
With reports of other unexploded devices found around the city and police searching for a rental van, possibly loaded with explosives, that attempted to enter the race course, Boston was on lockdown.
Ms Stapleton described it as "a city in chaos" while Hunt summed up the feeling among the Aussies.
"This is a despicable thing to have been done on such a glorious day," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment