Vehicle explosion near Niagara Falls closes US-Canada border crossing at Rainbow Bridge: Live updates

Two people are dead following a vehicle explosion at the US-Canada border crossing at Niagara Falls, law enforcement sources have said.

The explosion on Wednesday took place on the famed Rainbow Bridge and has temporarily shuttered border crossings between the US and Canada in the area.

The incident involved a vehicle trying to enter the US, according to the city of Niagara. It had passed through the initial checkpoint where passports and licenses are examined before being directed to another area for a secondary search, CNN reported.

The vehicle then combusted in an explosion, according to the FBI field office in Buffalo, New York.

The blast temporarily closed the Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge and Rainbow Bridge crossings between the US and Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that authorities were taking the situation “extraordinarily seriously”.

Key Points

Bystanders describe seeing ‘ball of fire’ at border crossing crash

19:54 , Mike Bedigan

Thick smoke, flames and a singed security booth could be seen in photos and video taken by bystanders and posted on social media. Videos showed that the fire was in a US Customs and Border Protection area just east of the main vehicle checkpoint.

Speaking to WGRZ-TV, witness Mike Guenther said he saw a vehicle speeding toward the crossing from the US side of the border when it swerved to avoid another car, crashed into a fence and exploded.

“All of a sudden he went up in the air and then it was a ball of fire like 30 or 40 feet high,” Mr Guenther told the station. “I never saw anything like it.”

White House ‘closely monitoring’ situation

19:50 , Mike Bedigan

The White House is “closely monitoring” the incident at the Rainbow Bridge crossing near Niagara Falls.

“The White House is closely monitoring the situation and law enforcement is on-scene and investigating,” a White House official told The Independent

President Joe Biden is currently in Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he is spending the Thanksgiving holiday with family, according to CNN.

Watch: Live view of Niagara Falls after explosion at US-Canada bridge

19:45 , Mike Bedigan

Watch a live view of Niagara Falls after explosion at US-Canada bridge

Law enforcement confirms two dead in Niagara Falls blast

19:41 , Mike Bedigan

The two occupants of a car that exploded at the US-Canada border crossing at Niagara Falls are dead, a law enforcement source told CNN.

The vehicle had been attempting to enter the US from the Canadian side of the border on the bridge that connects Canada to New York State.

It went through the initial checkpoint where they examine passports and licenses and then was directed to another area for a secondary search, CNN reported.

Speculating on cause of explosion ‘not responsible’ – Canadian Public Safety Minister

19:29 , Mike Bedigan

Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, said that national authorities were monitoring the situation “minute by minute with our American counterparts”.

Speaking to reporters, Mr LeBlanc said that he and prime minister Justin Trudeau were receiving “regular updates” from law enforcement, but that to speculate on the cause of the blast would be “simply not responsible”.

Soonafter Mr Trudeau told the Canadian parliament “there are lot of questions and we are following up to get as many answers as possible”.

He added that they were taking the situation “extraordinarily seriously”.

Canadian Prime Minister briefed on situation at Niagara Falls

19:21 , Mike Bedigan

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been briefed on the situation unfolding in Niagara Falls.

CNN report that police are due to give an update shortly.

Ontario Premier ‘aware of situation’

19:15 , Mike Bedigan

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said provincial law enforcement was “actively engaged” with the unfolding situation.

“I’ve been made aware of the situation unfolding on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. Our provincial law enforcement is actively engaged in assessing the situation. They are working with local law enforcement and are providing support as required,” Mr Ford wrote on X.

FBI field office describes situation as ‘very fluid’

19:08 , Mike Bedigan

The FBI field office in Buffalo, New York, described the situation as “very fluid” in a statement posted to X shortly following the incident.

“The FBI Buffalo Field Office is investigating a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the U.S. and Canada in Niagara Falls The FBI is coordinating with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation,” the statement read.

“As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time.”

Multiple US-Canada border crossings closed after car explodes on Rainbow Bridge near Niagara Falls

19:03 , Josh Marcus

All four international border crossings between the United States and Canada in New York have been closed after a vehicle exploded on the Rainbow Bridge, near Niagara Falls.

City of Niagara officials said that the incident on Wednesday involved a vehicle trying to enter the US, with the FBI Field Office in Buffalo describing the incident as an “explosion.”

The Rainbow Bridge connects the US and Canadian cities of Niagara Falls and is located less than a mile from the famed waterfalls themselves.

The Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge, and Rainbow Bridge were all also closed in both directions

Niagara Falls partly freezes as temperature dips in US after bomb cyclone.

Graeme Massie is following the latest details for The Independent.

An explosion rocks a busy crossing near Niagara Falls

19:02 , Josh Marcus

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of an explosion that took place on the Rainbow Bridge between the US and Canada.

We’ll be following all the latest news on this rapidly developing situation. Stay tuned.