U.S. sources revealed today, Wednesday, that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating a car explosion at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing between the United States and Canada, resulting in at least two fatalities. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that "a serious incident occurred at the border."
International border crossing points between Canada and western New York were closed following the reported incident, which led to the deaths of two individuals and injuries to at least one person, a 27-year-old man who was transported to Niagara Falls Hospital with minor injuries; his condition is not serious.
Federal authorities mentioned that "the incident involves a vehicle attempting to enter the United States, according to local reports." The FBI stated: "The FBI is investigating the car explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the United States and Canada in Niagara Falls." It added: "The FBI is coordinating with our partners in local, state, and federal law enforcement in this investigation, and since this situation is still unclear, this is all we can say at this time."
The Rainbow Bridge connects Niagara Falls in New York with Niagara Falls in Canada. The Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, and Whirlpool Bridge were also closed as the investigation continues. Local media indicated that the explosion might result from a suicide bombing.
Images and videos taken by news agencies and shared on social media showed a security checkpoint engulfed in flames. New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated she is briefed on the incident and is "monitoring the situation closely."
The explosion is being investigated by agents from the FBI field office in Buffalo, New York, as noted in their statement on X (formerly Twitter). The statement read: "The FBI is coordinating with our partners in local, state, and federal law enforcement in this investigation... As this situation is very fluid, this is all we can say at this time."
Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, Canada, stated via X that Canadian law enforcement is "actively involved in assessing the situation." U.S. State Department representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment on the reports of border closures. A spokesperson indicated that the White House is also closely monitoring the situation.
