By David Li, bostonese.com
Boston, April 15, 2013, — Around 2:50 PM this afternoon, just near the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, there were two big explosions interrupted the 117th running of the world-famous marathon race. According to preliminary reports, there were at least three people dead and over 100 people injured, many seriously.
Heavy police and military personnel at Boston Common.
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The explosions occurred in the center Boston Copley Square, close to the finish line of the race on the chaotic scene of the explosion. The headquarters of the Boston Marathon is now closed. A runner told WBZ TV station that he heard the explosions and saw two big fireballs rising near the finish line when he was approaching copley square. He then turned around and ran for safty. He didn’t see anyone got injuried as the distance was so far.
I interviewed Mr. Li Zhanzhe, who will turn 60 next month, yesterday when he was preparing for the race today. Mr. Li is from Beijing, China, and plans to run all major marathons in the world. “Boston attracts because it’s the modern marathon with longest uninterrupted history. |
I was just able to get in touch with Mr. Li Zhanzhe at his Park Plaza hotel room at around 4:00 PM. He crossed the finish line at around 2:00 PM, and finished the 26-mile race with 3 hours 46 minutes and 40 seconds. Mr. Li was not aware of the explosions as he was resting in his hotel room when I made the phone call.
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Ellen Wong from Vancouver, Canada was not so lucky. She was only one mile away from the finish line, and ended up at Boston Common. Her husband John and a couple friends who supposedly would greet her at the finish line outside Boston Public Library were nowhere to be found. Ms. Wong couldn’t find the bus that she left her backpack on. I had to give her a ride back to a hotel in Somerville. She thanked all the kind Bostonians who gave her a helping hand. Someone gave her a plastic cover at end of her race and another person gave her some cash to take a taxi.
According to the preliminary investigation, the explosions were triggered from a roadside garbage cans. FAA has also order flight restriction in the Back Bay area. |