CNN
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A border crossing between the U.S. and Canada has been closed after a vehicle exploded at a checkpoint on a bridge near Niagara Falls.
The two occupants of a car that exploded Wednesday at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing are dead, a law enforcement source told CNN.
The incident occurred shortly before noon when a car coming from the Canadian side of the border on the bridge that connects Canada to New York State went through the initial checkpoint where they examine passports and licenses and then was directed to another area for a secondary search, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
As the car was heading towards the secondary search area, an explosion occurred, the sources said. Authorities do not know what caused the explosion.
The FBI, New York State Police and US Customs and Border Protection are on the scene investigating. Federal authorities are trying to retrieve video from a number of different angles because the statements from witnesses vary, the sources said.
The FBI’s field office in Buffalo said in a statement that it was investigating the explosion on the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the two countries across the Niagara River.
“As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time,” the FBI statement said.
Sources said there are no serious injuries except to those who were in the car.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had been briefed on the incident and was “closely monitoring the situation.”
The Rainbow Bridge is one of four border crossings connecting Ontario to western New York.
The others are Lewiston, Whirlpool and Peace Bridge. The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission reports all four crossings are closed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
