Explosion at Rainbow Bridge temporarily closes WNY border crossings, Hochul says it's not terrorism

Nov. 22—NIAGARA FALLS — An explosion at the Rainbow Bridge connecting New York to Canada has closed the border crossing, and state and federal officials have heightened security at all other entry points to the state.

In a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Governor Kathleen C. Hochul said it did not appear to be an act of terrorism, although she said it is possible that could change pending further investigation.

"There is no sign of terrorist activity with respect to this crash," she said. "We have identified that this is a local individual."

Officials said the four bridges crossing the Niagara River in western New York and Ontario, Canada, were closed as a precaution through Wednesday afternoon, but the three crossings not involved in the blast were reopened later.

According to Niagara Falls city officials, a vehicle entering the U.S. exploded on the bridge around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday. Federal officials are investigating, and border crossings in the western region of New York were temporarily closed.

The Buffalo News reported that two people, occupants of the vehicle that exploded, have died on the U.S. side of the Rainbow Bridge. However, subsequent reports indicated that there was potentially only one person in the vehicle, an American man who frequently visits the U.S. Niagara Falls casino and frequently crosses the border to the Canadian Niagara Falls.

Hochul said that the vehicle approached from the U.S. side of the bridge at a high rate of speed in the wrong lane, hit a median near a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) booth then flew over an eight-foot high fence.

A law enforcement official said Wednesday afternoon that one CBP Office of Field Operations employee was taken to a local hospital to treat minor injuries, and was later released.

A CBP spokesperson said the agency is working with the Buffalo FBI field office and other state, federal and local law enforcement.

In a statement shared earlier Wednesday afternoon, Hochul said she had been briefed on the incident.

"At my direction, the New York State Police is actively working with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor all points of entry to New York," she said. "I am traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement and emergency responders and will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available."

A follow-up statement sent Wednesday from the governor said that all Western New York border crossings were closed, but remaining international border crossings remained open under a heightened alert status. Federal and state law enforcement officials are monitoring all border crossings.

Impact and delays

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council issued a warning on Wednesday afternoon that people crossing the U.S.-Canada border should expect delays. They said border officials will take more precautions with border crossing processing, including vehicle searches, and that will couple with heavier-than-usual traffic at the borders for the Thanksgiving holiday.

"Community members can expect some delays going north as there is an additional check point set up before the international bridge, and we're asking travelers to ensure they have proper ID's and documentation," said Matthew Rourke, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Chief.

An official with the Canadian Federal Bridge Corporation said all its crossings remain open as usual, including the Seaway International Bridge in Massena and the Thousand Islands Bridge in Alexandria Bay.

Officials at the Odgensburg-Prescott Bridge, operated by the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, did not immediately provide comment.

New York's federal lawmakers quickly reacted to the news on Wednesday, some urging caution and deferring to law enforcement officials as information became available. However, Congresswoman Elise M. Stefanik, R-Willsboro, immediately called it a "terrorist attack" although no law enforcement officials had indicated it was a terror attack at the time.

"I have been in immediate direct contact with federal, state, and local law enforcement as well as border patrol and CBP regarding the reported terrorist attack on the northern border in New York," she said. "We will continue working to ensure all resources are made available to northern border law enforcement."