2 dead in vehicle explosion at Rainbow Bridge as U.S.-Canada border crossings close near Niagara Falls; FBI investigating

NIAGARA FALLS: Sources say two people were killed in a vehicle explosion Wednesday afternoon at Rainbow Bridge, a U.S.-Canada border crossing near Niagara Falls, in western New York. Four U.S.-Canada border crossings in the region have been closed as investigators respond to the situation, CBS Buffalo affiliate WIVB reported.

Multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News two people died inside the vehicle that exploded, and sources said that it appears at this point to have been a deliberate act.

A senior U.S. official confirmed to CBS News a car traveling from Canada at a high rate of speed crashed into a pylon at the bridge crossing. The crash was followed by an explosion, but the U.S. official said it is not yet known why the car exploded.

The FBI Buffalo Field office posted a statement on social media saying it was “investigating a vehicle explosion at Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the U.S. and Canada in Niagara Falls.” It added that the situation is very fluid and “that’s all we can say at this time.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement that she has been briefed on the situation. “At my direction, the New York State Police is actively working with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor all points of entry to New York,” she said, adding that she is on her way to Buffalo to “meet with law enforcement and emergency responders.”

The City of Niagara Falls said the incident involved a vehicle attempting to enter the U.S., WIVB reported.

The Rainbow Bridge is a popular crossing for tourists, connecting Niagara Falls, New York, with Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The other border crossings in the region are the Peace Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge.

Courtesy: cbsnews