Explosion Near The Boston Marathon Finish Line

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   What a scare.  Someone very close to me works in that area.  He's fine, thankfully.
   
   There is no announcement (if anyone even knows yet) about what caused it, but injuries were very serious.  I wouldn't have even known about it because I don't have television or radio on, but someone let me know I should turn on the TV.  I just thought I'd share this here in case anyone might want to know more about it.  (I'm still shaking even though I've talked to my family member.)

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      Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Looks like it was an attack, we'll see.

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         Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Right now, Channel 5 Boston is still saying that they're getting "no comment" when they've asked if it was terrorism.

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         Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         They have no idea yet if it was an accident or deliberate.

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            Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            They said there were two explosions near buildings NOT linked to the same gas line. One of the explosions seemed to originate from a trash can. I said we'll see.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   Now they're saying they're looking for "secondary devices".

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      Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      ...but then someone just clarified by saying they don't know yet whether there really are/were any devices.

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         Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         What are the chances that two accidental explosions occurred at the finish line of the Boston marathon?

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            Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I'd agree, and I'm not particularly assuming it was "innocent".  It's just that I'm a big stickler for not risking jumping to conclusions without "official" information.       Right now all I care about is that my family member gets out of that area.

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               Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               I hope they do.

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               Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               No matter what, people will say it's a conspiracy and the wrong people are being blamed... They are already trying to blame the president.

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                  Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Not on any news station I am watching, who exactly is blaming the president?

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                     Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Only the wingnuts on some websites.

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                        Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        True, I suppose.  There's always the "wingnuts", no matter what the situation/crisis is.

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                  Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Correction after original post:   They should consider themselves fortunate to be able to indulge in political foolishness rather than having to worry about having loved ones in that area.  They might want to pay a little more attention to what's actually developing right now and resume their political foolishness once this crisis is over and better understood.
                  
                  Earlier it was reported that two devices were found and had been dismantled.  Whether that was accurate or not, I don't know.  Now they're saying that there was a third explosion that people heard but that was officials detonating something; but there was also a real third explosion at the JFK library.

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                     Gcrhoads64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     ++

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   Of course, "attack" doesn't necessarily mean "terrorism" as most of us think of it.  They've also raised the possibility of something like "kids throwing pipe bombs in trash cans". Either way, I guess watching to see what goes on will eventually lead to knowing who/what caused it. 
   
   In case anyone's wondering, Logan is still operating.  Boylston Street businesses evacuated.  People are being told to avoid Copley Square.  Boylston being considered a crime scene by police.

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   Peggy Wposted 11 years ago

   Very sad situation.  A friend called me and told me to flip on TV.  I have not done so yet because undoubtedly it will be plastered all over the news channels for the rest of the night and perhaps for days to come.  More accurate information will be forthcoming as time progresses.  I am just sad for all of the injured people and their loved ones.  Hope they determine the cause soon and eliminate the possibility of any more damage than what has already transpired.

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   GavNugentposted 11 years ago

   News reports claim authorities have carried out a controlled explosion on a 3rd device, and there has been 2 deaths. Undoubtedly more information will come to light as time goes on.

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   OK.  For anyone not watching, it's now being announced that "these were bombs of some kind".

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   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   I know there's Twitter, Facebook, TV, etc. etc.; but I thought this was worth posting on here as well...
   
   People in the area are being asked not to use their cell phones because there's concern that doing so could possibly set off other devices.

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      rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for posting this. My brother and nephews work downtown close to the area.  No one is answering phones.  Maddening..

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         Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Besides my son, I have someone else close who works at Downtown Crossing.   Right now (or at least as recently as, maybe, an hour ago or so; they've asked people not to use their cell phones because of the possibility they might potentially set off another device).  So, those of us waiting to hear that people are home again aren't, as far as I can guess, likely to hear from them until/unless they're away from the area.
         
         It doesn't help that the Green line has been stopped, and they're saying that the Red and Orange lines will be "bypassing" downtown.  I think a lot of people who haven't already left are going to slowed down when it comes to getting home.

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   Gcrhoads64posted 11 years ago

   And here come the conspiracy theory profiteers.
   http://www.salon.com/2013/04/15/alex_jo … alse_flag/

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      GavNugentposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Its far too early for anyone to speculate the cause of the explosions or who might be behind this incident. Its too early, even for the nutjobs.

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         Gcrhoads64posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It's never too early to profit from a tragedy.

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            GavNugentposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Oh, I agree with you there, unfortunately!

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   Clint Wardposted 11 years ago

   3rd explosion reported at JFK library.

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    Clint Wardposted 11 years ago

    They have a "person of interest" in custody, who knows what that even means.

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    psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

    The cell network is down right now, probably to disrupt triggers for any other devices.

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    Uninvited Writerposted 11 years ago

    It's like they hit the two things most important to people in Boston; the marathon and JFK.

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       Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       It seems so.
       
       "Officials have stopped cell phone service in the city of Boston".

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       Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Now (7:46 p.m.) they're saying that it's looking less and less likely that the "issue" at the JFK library was connected the other stuff.  They even mentioned the possibility of something accidental on that one explosion/fire (whatever it was that happened there).

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    Clint Wardposted 11 years ago

    April is a big deal for domestic terrorists. Not saying that is what is going on just thought I would mention it.

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    Clint Wardposted 11 years ago

    I just read that the person of interest is a Saudi National, again just reporting what I see.

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       Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I haven't heard a word about that at all.  I've been watching Boston's WCVB.    I did turn off the sound for a few minutes while I talked to my kids' father (who knew nothing about any of it because he's at work), but that was only for - like - five minutes.
       
       Now they're reporting officers at the Brigham and Womens hospital, with automatic weapons.  The news woman is saying it appears to be "stepped up security" (rather than just interviewing victims).   (I'm just doing "highlights" because I've been doing nothing but sitting here with the television on.  I have nothing better to do until it's no longer "an ongoing situation" (as news and officials have called it).
       
       
       
       Note:   Oh..   I just went and looked for it and found it.  I'm glad you posted that here.  That could potentially explain the stepped up security at Tufts (hospital) and the Brigham (where there's now a SWAT team presence).

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    rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

    My brother just called.  They're all fine. He's home now and took the train, but he said now the trains are closed which is going to leave a lot of commuters stranded.  He said there were police at each stop. He works in the financial district which is about a mile away from the explosion.  They didn't hear any explosions, but soon heard about it. 
    
    Lisa, I hope your family is ok. 
    
    All we'll hear for a while is a lot of speculation.

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       Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Good to know your brother is back home.   
       
       My son's pretty close there, and his girlfriend works at Downtown Crossing.  They're now saying there's no immediate threat at Tufts, that absolutely everyone who tries to go through North Station is going to be stopped and checked, and essentially that a whole lot of people aren't going to be able to get away from the area awfully quickly.
       
       I'm assuming there must be some kind of systematic, but slowing-down, process by which they'll be moving, or allowing to move, people who need to leave the city.     
       
       Now the police commissioner just said that reports of someone in custody are not true.  He said they have nobody in custody at this time.  They also mentioned that people "shouldn't read anything into" the stepped up security around the hospitals.

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    Zelkiiroposted 11 years ago

    This is crazy. I thought we'd beefed up our security so this kind of thing wouldn't happen?

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       Clint Wardposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Did you really think it would prevent this type of thing?

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    psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

    It's kind of hard to stop someone smuggling in a device the size of a loaf of bread into a 5 miles square area containing 300,000 people.

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    GavNugentposted 11 years ago

    "Police Commissioner Ed Davis says the area around the finish line will be closed for 24 hours while police investigate. He adds that reports police have a suspect in custody are inaccurate."

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    Reality Bytesposted 11 years ago

    What a tragedy.  Hopefully there are cameras which caught the act.  Latest news I just heard was that the operation seemed very amateurish as reported by local radio.  I am 50 or so miles from Boston.
    
    Obama is talking on the radio as I type!  This should not be a moment to make political points, which he did not.  He spoke like a leader!

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       habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I thought so, too, from what little I heard.

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       GavNugentposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Agreed, he spoke calmly and clearly. A message of reassurance to the people of Boston.

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       Reality Bytesposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       To let everyone know how close some things can get.  I just checked my FB to see a post from my daughter that was in Boston today at the Red Sox game, not far away.  She is fine, just a little freaked out.
       
       
       Carpe Diem

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          Lisa HWposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Glad you heard from her and she's OK.  That's the thing:  They were saying that besides the holiday  (Patriots Day for people outside the "Patriots Day" area) - and people having time off work to be in the city) and the Marathon, there was the Red Sox game.
          
          My people are out of that area now.  I just got the text.  (Maybe now I can go do something productive.    )

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