Boston Marathon Explosions: Two Dead, 28 Injured As ‘Bombs’ Hit Race Finish Line

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At least two people have died and twenty-eight injured when two huge explosions detonated near the finishing line of the Boston Marathon.

Witnesses said that some of the injured had lost limbs. Victims with horrific injuries were carried to the medical tent that was set up for runners; others were pushed in wheelchairs on hand if competitors collapsed.

Pools of blood stained the pavements as the two blasts ripped through the area within about 30 seconds each other near the city’s central Copley Square. They caused panic and terror in the crowds massed to watch one of the world’s biggest marathons.
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Police deployed bomb squad teams and bomb-sniffing dogs as they searched for explosive devices. Some witnesses said that the first explosion seemed to come from a building.

Following the bombing, area around the White House have been locked down and extra security provided.

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The marathon, with about 20,000 competitors, takes place annually on Patriots Day, a festive New England public holiday.

The cause of the blasts was not immediately known. But the scale of the double explosion, the popularity of the event and the symbolism of the date – Patriot’s Day – prompted immediate fears of a terrorism attack.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the Boston Marathon termed the blasts as “bombs”, but there has been no official confirmation.

The Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis in a press conference on Monday night said all injured victims have been removed from the scene. He confirmed that two bombs went off simultaneously at 2.50 pm on Monday and a third one went off around 3:25 pm at JFK library in Boston, Massachusetts.

According to him, the event is still ongoing as the source of the bombings remain unknown. He therefore advised people to stay in their homes and encouraged Americans to call in any information.

Davis however didn’t confirm the number of casualty but said the police will relate that to the press once they get full hold of the situation.

Update : New reports say at least 100 people have been injured following thee twin blast in Boston.

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