A car traveling at high speed collided and caught fire on the bridge connecting New York and Ontario at Niagara Falls on Wednesday. This resulted in the death of two individuals in the car and caused a security concern, leading to the closure of four US-Canadian border crossings.
After several hours, federal and state officials reported that there was no proof of a terrorist attack, but the details of the crash on the Rainbow Bridge were still unclear. It is yet to be determined if it was intentional or accidental.
According to Kathy Hochul, the current governor of New York, there is no evidence to suggest that the explosion on the US side of the Rainbow Bridge, a bridge connecting the US and Canada over the Niagara River, was a terrorist attack.
“At this point in time,” she stated, “there is no indication of any terrorist involvement in the plane crash.”
The FBI has declared that its investigation is complete. In a statement posted on X, previously known as Twitter, the FBI reported that a thorough search of the area did not uncover any explosive substances and there was no evidence of a connection to terrorism.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency shared footage from a security camera showing a car speeding from the U.S. side, colliding with an object, and launching into the air before crashing and bursting into flames. A CBP officer was injured but received treatment at a hospital and was later released, according to an agency representative.
Chuck Schumer, the senior senator from New York, tweeted: “I was just briefed by the FBI on the incident at Rainbow Bridge. Initial reports indicate the two people killed were in the car but nothing’s been determined on their identity or motive. They continue to investigate – law enforcement remains on heightened alert over Thanksgiving,” he wrote.
Justin Trudeau left the question period in Canada’s House of Commons to receive a more detailed briefing, stating, “The situation in Niagara Falls is clearly very serious.”
The Canadian prime minister emphasized the importance of the situation and assured that it is being treated with utmost seriousness.
Soon after the explosion, the Rainbow Bridge and three other crossings located in Lewiston, Whirlpool, and Peace Bridge were closed. However, the remaining three crossings were reopened on Wednesday.
The White House stated that they are closely keeping track of the events at the border crossing between the US and Canada. They also mentioned that law enforcement officers are present at the location and conducting an investigation.
Pictures and footage captured by news outlets and shared on social media depicted a security booth that had been scorched by fire.
Footage revealed that the fire occurred within a designated area of the US Customs and Border Protection, located to the east of the primary vehicle checkpoint.
Mike Guenther reported to WGRZ-TV that he witnessed a car traveling at high speed towards the border crossing from the US side. The car abruptly changed direction to avoid colliding with another vehicle, causing it to collide with a fence and burst into flames.
Guenther described the event as unexpected, where the subject suddenly ascended and transformed into a blazing sphere reaching heights of approximately 30 to 40 feet. He expressed that he had never witnessed anything similar before.
Ivan Vitalii, a tourist from Ukraine who was at Niagara Falls, informed the Niagara Gazette that he and a companion were in the vicinity of the bridge when they “heard a loud crash.”
He informed the newspaper that they observed flames and a large plume of dark smoke.
Melissa Raffalow reported seeing a large cloud of black smoke rising from the border crossing near Niagara Falls state park. According to Raffalow, police quickly arrived and instructed visitors to leave as they blocked off the street.
The premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, stated that the provincial law enforcement is currently evaluating the situation and collaborating with local authorities while also offering assistance as needed.
According to data from the US Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory, approximately 6,000 vehicles use the Rainbow Bridge on a daily basis. Of this, around 5% consists of trucks.
With Reuters
Source: theguardian.com
