2 Dead After Vehicle Explosion at Canada-US Border, Incident Not Terrorism-Related: FBI

Law enforcement personnel block off the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on Nov. 22, 2023. The border crossing between the U.S. and Canada has been closed after a vehicle exploded at a checkpoint on a bridge near Niagara Falls. AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont.—Four Canada-U.S. border crossings were closed temporarily on Nov. 22 after a vehicle explosion at the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge checkpoint at Niagara Falls. The incident left two people dead.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said there was no evidence that the incident was terrorism-related.

“Based on what we know at this moment, there is no sign of terrorist activity in this crash,” she said at a press conference on the afternoon of Nov. 22. Hours later, FBI confirmed her statement, saying that the matter has now been turned over to the local police as a traffic investigation.

“A search of the scene revealed no explosive materials, and no terrorism nexus was identified,” the FBI Buffalo said in a statement on Nov. 22.

Ms. Hochul said that all but the engine of the vehicle were incinerated in the explosion, and that the pieces were scattered over a large area. She added that it will take some time for investigators to piece together the entire story of what transpired.

A road closure sign close to the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Nov. 22, 2023. Andrew Chen/The Epoch Times

“You actually had to look and say, ‘was this (video) generated by AI?’ Because it was so surreal to see how high in the air this vehicle actually went, and then the crash and the explosion,” she said.

Three border crossings, which were closed by authorities as a precaution, have since been reopened, but the Rainbow Bridge border crossing remained closed as of Nov. 22.

While little information is yet available, a spokesperson for the Niagara Falls mayor’s office said the incident involved a vehicle attempting to enter the U.S. side of the border. Details of the cause of the explosion haven’t yet been released by authorities. 

Photos and videos from the incident earlier in the day posted on social media showed fire and dense smoke emanating from the scene, while debris is visibly scattered nearby.

Video capturing the incident show a vehicle travelling at a very high speed hitting an obstacle, and then flying into the air before crashing onto the ground.

In an interview with WGRZ-TV, eyewitness Mike Guenther said he observed a vehicle rapidly approaching the border crossing from the U.S. side.

The vehicle swerved to avoid another car, Mr. Guenther said, ultimately colliding with a fence and erupting into an explosion. 

“All of a sudden he went up in the air and then it was a ball of fire like 30 or 40 feet high,” he told the media outlet. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said officials were “taking this extraordinary seriously,” while the White House said President Joe Biden was “closely following” developments.

The incident happened on one of the busiest travel times of the year as Americans mark the Thanksgiving holiday.

Law Enforcement

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said in a video posted on social media platform X on Nov. 22 that the Niagara Regional Police Service and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are also investigating the incident.

The CBSA said in a statement that it is working with its U.S. counterparts to investigate the matter.

“We are aware of an evolving situation at Rainbow Bridge,” the agency said on X earlier int he day. 

The Niagara Regional Police Service said in a statement that it is monitoring the situation, and that there is “no known threat on the Canadian side.”

Meanwhile, the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport has enhanced security measures. In a statement issued on Nov. 22, the airport said that it would begin security checks on all cars and told passengers to expect additional screenings.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.