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New York: Tragedy strikes after two occupants on Wednesday were killed in a “vehicle explosion” at the US-Canada border crossing near Niagara Falls triggering border closures and sparking a massive security alert on the eve of a major holiday. The incident occurred when a vehicle speeding toward a US-Canada bridge from the American side crashed and exploded.
According to reports, the two people who died were a husband and wife, however, their identification has not been disclosed yet.
After the explosion, four US-Canada border crossings in the region have been closed as the investigation into the incident is underway. According to officials, there were no indications of a terror attack, but they were not confident of what caused the accident. They said that things remain unclear about the incident at the Rainbow Bridge, which stirred concerns on both sides of the border as the US headed into the Thanksgiving holiday.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, in collaboration with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, is carefully monitoring all points of entry into New York. The increase in law enforcement personnel and canine units patrolling the transportation system is already visible. The governor is traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement officials. The White House is also closely monitoring the situation, with President Joe Biden briefed on the incident.
The FBI, New York State Police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are promptly investigating the scene. Federal authorities are trying to obtain video from multiple angles to piece together the unfolding events. The accident caused the Rainbow Bridge to be closed on both sides, and four US-Canada border crossings in the area were closed as a precaution.
Canada’s Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said his government is taking the situation very seriously. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also been informed of the incident and is in constant touch with US officials. The incident has cast a shadow over the Rainbow Bridge, a symbol of unity between the US and Canada, which is now the site of a tragic incident and under intense investigation.
