US-Canada Bridge Explosion: New York Couple Suspected to Have Been Killed, Latest Updates
Law enforcement sources reveal that a tragic car crash and subsequent explosion at the US-Canada Rainbow Bridge border crossing claimed the lives of a New York couple Despite the shocking nature of the incident, the FBI has determined no connection to terrorism The governor described the crash as an utterly surreal scene
The two individuals who died in a car crash and explosion at a US-Canada border crossing near Niagara Falls on Wednesday are believed to be a New York man and his wife, according to law enforcement sources. The FBI has confirmed that there is no connection to terrorism. The incident occurred when a Bentley, traveling at a high speed, struck a curb and then hit a guardrail, causing the vehicle to become airborne and land in a screening area at the checkpoint. This led to raised alarms from New York to Washington, DC on Wednesday morning.
The FBI's Buffalo field office announced on Wednesday night that, despite initial worries about a potential terror attack, no connection to terrorism and no explosives were found at the scene. The case is now being handed over to local police as a traffic investigation. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stressed at a news conference on Wednesday evening that there is currently no indication of a terrorist attack for Americans and New Yorkers to be concerned about.
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Sources: Deadly crash at US-Canadian border bridge involved man and wife in a Bentley, investigators believe
Hochul announced that two people had died in the car, and stated that the vehicle belonged to a resident of western New York.
Sources in law enforcement stated that the crash is believed to have involved a man from New York State who was driving with his wife in a Bentley.
The man had initially planned to attend a KISS concert in Canada, but when it was canceled, investigators believe he instead went to a casino in the US. The crash happened after the couple had left the casino, according to sources.
"There are many unanswered questions," Hochul stated on Wednesday regarding the people in the vehicle. She mentioned that it is still unknown whether the crash was accidental or intentional.
The explosion caused a temporary closure of all four bridges connecting Canada and the US near Niagara Falls on a heavily traveled day. Three of the bridges have since reopened, but the Rainbow Bridge remains closed. This is the current information available.
Crash looked absolutely surreal, governor says
The vehicle was traveling at an "extraordinarily high rate of speed" when it approached the border crossing around 11:30 a.m. and hit a barrier, Hochul said.
After the impact, the car was sent soaring several feet into the air before crashing down into a Customs and Border Protection booth and bursting into flames, according to Hochul. She described the footage of the incident as "absolutely surreal." Hochul also mentioned that an officer working in the booth received treatment for minor injuries.
The governor stated that the vehicle was "practically burned to ashes," with wreckage strewn across over a dozen checkpoint booths.
Rickie Wilson, a witness, described the sight of the car speeding past him as "like something out of a movie," momentarily mistaking it for a plane.
CNNs Celina Tebor, Pete Muntean, Raja Razek, Dave Alsup, Josh Campbell and Sabrina Souza contributed to this report.
