Tuesday, April 16, 2013

P.E.I. runner recalls loud 'bang' at Boston Marathon

At least 3 killed, dozens injured after 2 bombs exploded near finish line

A P.E.I. runner recalls her experience in Boston after two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday killing at least three people and injuring dozens.

So far, there has been no word on the motive or who may have launched the attack.

Jennie Orr, 21, from Mayfield, P.E.I. went to Boston to run in the marathon. She said she heard a bang about 30 minutes after she crossed the finish line. She said she was about two blocks away.

“I just assumed that maybe a crane dropped something. But there were a few bombs that had gone off and then people started running towards us and I was so sore that I couldn’t run away from it but we crossed the street,” she said.

“I was pretty sore after the marathon. I was glad to have my aunt with me.”

Boston Police Department Commissioner Ed Davis said that around 2:50 p.m., simultaneous explosions occurred near the finish line — about 45 to 90 metres apart — that resulted in "multiple casualties.”

Davis said that no other explosive devices have been found so far, but that any parcel left along the race route is being treated as suspicious.

Earlier, Boston police had said two people had been killed and 23 injured but Davis wouldn't confirm any numbers. Other media reports put the injury totals at up to 100 people.

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.

One runner, a state police officer from neighbouring Rhode Island, said he saw at least two dozen people with very serious injuries, including missing limbs.

According to the Boston Marathon website, there were 19 Islanders registered to run the race.
Orr said as far as she knows, everyone from P.E.I. is safe.

“A lot of them said they'd be doing (a) Maritime marathon from now on instead of coming down to Boston because we’re all a little scared,” she said.

She said after the ordeal, she has second thoughts about returning.

“In all honesty I don’t know, I was planning to come back next year and I don't necessarily know if I will after this time. I might do something closer to home,” said Orr.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2013/04/16/pe-marathon-follow.html

No reports of Islanders injured in marathon bombing

19 from P.E.I. registered to run Boston Marathon

There are no reports of Islanders injured after the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday.
Two bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people and injuring 140.
'There were a lot of people crying, calling loved ones and wanting to know what was going on.'—Kim Bailey
Nineteen Islanders were registered to run in the marathon. Many also had family and friends along the race course.

Kim Bailey was running her seventh Boston Marathon. She said she knew something was wrong when the runners ahead of her stopped moving.

"I was just running, listening to my music and I had no idea anything was going on until the runners ahead of me were basically at an impasse."

She first thought there was a medical emergency on the course, that maybe one of the runners had suffered a heart attack.

But then Bailey said she could tell it was much more from the reaction of people around her.

Runner will return

"There were a lot of people crying, calling loved ones and wanting to know what was going on."
Bailey said store owners along the route came out to bring the runners water and a spectator gave her a coat to keep warm.

Race officials directed the runners around the finish line to an alternate route. Bailey finished the course and was back at her hotel before the true horror of the situation hit. Bailey said if she had not added a few extra minutes along the course she could have been at the finish line when the bombs went off.

"If I hadn't of stopped at the porta potty a couple of times, if I hadn't stopped at the water stops, I could have been right in the middle of it, you know, so it's that, so thankful."

Another Island runner, Jennie Orr, made it across the finish line and moved away from the area when the explosions hit.

"I was pretty sore from the marathon so I was glad to have my aunt with [me]. I just, I came all the way to run this race and I don't know if I'll come back next year."

But Bailey said, as long as she can qualify, she will will continue to run the Boston Marathon.
"The saddest thing would be if people started to succumb to the fear."

 

 

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