'Heightened security' may be noticeable at Blue Water Bridge after Niagara Falls vehicle explosion
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Residents and motorists may notice an increased presence from law enforcement around the Blue Water Bridge following a reported vehicle explosion near the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, New York, this afternoon.
Port Huron Assistance Police Chief Brian Kerrigan said they had not received any requests from federal authorities shortly before 2:30 p.m., adding they’d leave broader comment to any activity to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
A request for comment from a CBP public affairs officer was not immediately returned.
Port Huron City Manager James Freed said in a message, “We have received briefings from our federal partners and are working with those agencies to ensure heightened security at our critical crossings and sites."
When reached by phone, Jocelyn Garza, regional spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Transportation, which operates the Blue Water Bridge, said, “All international border crossings are increasing security out of an abundance of caution.” In an email around 3 p.m., she said, "At this time BWB operations are not impacted, but staff are remaining diligent and prepared for additional security measures if needed."
Garza added that the crossing times did appear longer for the last several hours, at greater than 60 minutes for westbound bridge traffic and 30 to 40 minutes for eastbound. However, it was not clear whether those times could be attributed to holiday traffic or any ongoing security.
USA Today reported that the border crossing near Niagara Falls, had been closed after a vehicle exploded at a checkpoint on the Rainbow Bridge, connecting the U.S. and Canada over the Niagara River. The FBI’s field office in Buffalo, New York, was reportedly investigating the explosion with other authorities.
Further information was not immediately available.
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This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: 'Heightened security' may be noticeable at Blue Water Bridge after Niagara Falls vehicle explosion
