Kitchener runner describes chaos at Boston marathon

A Kitchener runner who participated in the Boston Marathon says she didn't first understand what happened when the race was abruptly stopped following two deadly bomb blasts.

Carrie Jones told CBC News that she didn't hear any noise that might have indicated that explosions took place, but had to stop running about a kilometre from the finish line.

"I was running along and there just was a lot of people in the street. And at first I just thought it was because I was kind of towards the back of the pack.And I thought maybe people were just figuring maybe the race was more or less over," she said.

"I was just trying to get around and then I heard people saying "the race is over.'"

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."

The two blasts killed at least three people and injured more than 140.

Boston police said an incident at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum that was initially thought to be another blast was being treated as a fire and not believed to be related to the two bomb blasts.

Jones said she encountered a confusing scene as "thousands" of runners came to a halt before the finish line.

"Because it just all bottlenecked," said Jones, who was running in the race as part of a Manulife team.

Stratford resident Gerry Thuss estimated he was about 200 metres from the finish line of the Boston Marathon when he witnessed the first of the two explosions.

"For myself, I was actually I was on the last stretch of the finish of the marathon … and when all of a sudden, right at the finish line, there was an extremely loud explosion," Thuss said.

Thuss said that explosion appeared to come from the left side of the finish line.

"Chaotic here right now. Terrible, terrible events," tweeted runner Rob Watson, a former Guelph Speed River Track member.

According to the Boston Marathon website, 15 Kitchener residents were listed as entrants among the 27,000 people in the race. A further 14 were from Waterloo, 15 were from Guelph and five from Cambridge.

About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another thunderous explosion could be heard a few seconds later.

Smoke rose from the blasts, fluttering through the national flags lining the route of the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon. TV helicopter footage showed blood staining the pavement in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs has set up an emergency line — 1-800-387-3124 — to help the Canadians in Boston.