NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — A vehicle speeding toward a U.S.-Canada bridge from the American side crashed and exploded at a checkpoint in Niagara Falls on Wednesday, killing two people and prompting the closing of border crossings in the area, authorities said. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said there was “no indication of a terrorist attack.”
Hochul said it wasn't clear whether or not the driver was intentionally heading for the Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River when the vehicle hit a median and flew into the air.
“Based on what we know at this moment,” she said, “there is no sign of terrorist activity in this crash.”
At a separate news conference with western New York’s U.S. attorney, Trini Ross nearby in Buffalo, Erie Country Sheriff John Garcia said, “We can go on with our lives.”
Much remained unclear about the crash Wednesday evening as investigators worked to piece together what happened.
The blast happened on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge. Three other bridges between western New York and Ontario were quickly closed as a precaution, and the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport began security checks on all cars and told passengers to expect additional screenings.
The airport remained open, but officials warned that travelers may experience extensive delays getting into the airport.
Along with the two people who were killed in the incident, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer inside the checkpoint booth was injured, according to Hochul.
A video released by CBP, seen below, shows the moments just before the incident. The vehicle can be seen speeding toward the booths at the top of the video, then launching into the air and flying what appears to be several yards before crashing off-screen.
Jim Diodati, the mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario, told The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that what happened appeared to be “an isolated incident.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said officials were “taking this extraordinarily seriously,” and the White House said President Joe Biden was closely following developments.
Trudeau said additional security measures were being put in place, or considered, at other border crossings across Canada. In Toronto, about 100 miles away, police said they were increasing patrols as a precaution.
The FBI’s field office in Buffalo said in a statement that it was investigating the blast, and investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also responding to the scene.
Photos and video taken by bystanders and posted on social media showed thick smoke, flames on the pavement and a security booth that had been singed.
Videos showed that the fire was in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection area just east of the main vehicle checkpoint. The agency had no immediate comment.
Ivan Vitalii, a Ukrainian visiting Niagara Falls, told The Niagara Gazette that he and a friend were near the bridge when they “heard something smash."
“We saw fire and big, black smoke,” he told the newspaper.
Witness Mike Guenther told a local news outlet that he saw a vehicle speeding toward the crossing from the U.S. side when it swerved to avoid another car, crashed into a fence and exploded.
“All of a sudden, he went up in the air and then it was a ball of fire like 30 or 40 feet high,” Guenther told the station. “I never saw anything like it.”
The Rainbow Bridge connects the cities of Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, in Ontario, Canada. The bridge is located less than a mile from the world-renowned waterfalls and offers views of the natural wonder.
The Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge, and Rainbow Bridge have all also been closed in both directions, according to the general manager of the Peace Bridge, Ron Reinas.
U.S. Attorney General Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation, his office said.
About 6,000 vehicles cross the Rainbow Bridge each day, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory. About 5% is truck traffic, according to the federal data.
The incident comes amid an especially busy day for travel in the U.S., with AAA predicting the busiest Thanksgiving travel period since 2019.
New York City police were monitoring the news from Buffalo but already had boosted security at various spots because of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday.
The Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo said, out of an abundance of caution, its partners in law enforcement recommended that it close its buildings through the Thanksgiving Holiday. There are no known credible threats against the Jewish Community at this time, the group added.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report.