Nation on high alert as Obama offers federal assistance to city
Horrifying images of injured spectators and blood-splattered pavements were caught as television cameras broadcast footage of the blasts.
Participants were also seen lying on the ground as the two explosions tore through the finish line, sending smoke and debris soaring into the air.
Emergency workers ripped away fencing as others carried injured men and women from the scene.
The Secret Service heightened security at the White House, establishing a security cordon on Pennsylvania Avenue.
A White House official said Obama was notified of the incident about 3pm (8pm Irish time) and was briefed by US homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco and other members of his senior White House staff in the Oval Office.
“The president called Boston mayor Tom Menino and Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick to express his concern for those who were injured and to make clear that his administration is ready to provide needed support as they respond to the incident,” said the official.
Separately, Vice President Joe Biden, in a telephone conference call about proposals to tighten gun laws, offered his prayers as he reacted to images he saw on television from Boston.
“As I’m speaking here, they just turned on the television here in my office. Apparently there has been a bombing. I don’t know any of the details about what caused it, who did it. I don’t think it exists yet.
“But our prayers are with those people in Boston who have suffered injury. I don’t know how many of them there are. I’m still looking at it on television now.”
US attorney general Eric Holder directed the full resources of the Justice Department to be deployed to investigate the two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, a department official said.
The department includes the FBI and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, both of which are involved in the investigation.
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