Four of the busiest border crossing points between Canada and the United States are closed after a vehicle exploded at a U.S. checkpoint in Niagara Falls. Law enforcement personnel block off the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge, in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-The Buffalo News, Derek Gee
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says there is no evidence to indicate any terrorist activity was behind a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge complex today that killed two people.
She says an investigation is ongoing, and the U.S. customs and border agency says three Canada-U.S. border crossings in the Niagara region have reopened.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a vehicle that originated on the U.S. side travelling toward the customs kiosks at high speed before crashing in a burst of flames.
The spectacular fireball, coupled with latent U.S. anxiety on the eve of a busy holiday weekend, fuelled an afternoon of speculation about a possible terrorist attack.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a statement on social media saying that the Whirlpool, Queenston Lewiston and Peace bridges have all reopened.
The Rainbow Bridge crossing, which spans the Niagara River, remains closed to traffic in both directions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2023.
