Rainbow Bridge Between U.S., Canada Closed After Vehicle Explosion

Nikki McCann Ramirez
·3 min read
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Border crossings between Canada and the United States were shut down on Wednesday after a vehicle crashed and then exploded at the Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge, as MSNBC reports. Two people died and a Border Patrol officer was injured in the incident, according to two U.S. law enforcement officials, per the New York Times.

“Based on what we know at this moment, and again anything can change, there is no sign of terrorist activity with respects to this crash,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said at a news conference on Wednesday.

According to CNN, the crash involved a husband and wife who were residents of the state of New York. The couple — who reportedly left a a Niagara Falls-area casino and planned on attending a Kiss show in Toronto that was ultimately canceled — were traveling in their Bentley at over 100 mph when the crash occurred. On Friday, police identified the couple as business owners Kurt P. Villani and Monica Villani, according to The New York Times. The two, both 53, lived in Grand Island, New York.

Further inquiries into the car identified the vehicle as a 2022 Bentley Flying Spur, a luxury car known for its 8-cylinder engine. In 2021, some cars of the same model were recalled for a mechanical issue that could leave accelerator pedals stuck. However, Erin Bronner, a spokeswoman for the Americas arm of Bentley Motors, told The New York Times Friday that the recall did not include left-hand drive cars, the model the Villanis drove.

The nature of the incident did result in precautionary measures. Ron Rienas, General Manager of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, told ABC News that, out of an abundance of caution, all four border crossings in the Niagara area were closed as authorities investigated the scene. The bridge remained closed until Thursday evening.

“The health and safety of the public and our officers is of utmost importance to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA),” the agency said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “We are aware of an evolving situation at Rainbow Bridge. We are liaising with our U.S. counterparts on this matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading on the ongoing investigation.”

U.S. authorities have not immediately responded to Rolling Stone‘s requests for comment.

In a statement issued on X, formerly Twitter, the FBI said that the bureau’s “Buffalo Field Office is investigating a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the U.S. and Canada in Niagara Falls,” and added that its national office was “coordinating with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners in this investigation. As this situation is very fluid, that’s all we can say at this time.”

Prior to the news conference, Hochul wrote in a statement that at her 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.”

The governor added that she was “traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement & emergency responders & will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available.”

In response to the explosion, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, which operates public transportation within the U.S.  Buffalo–Niagara Falls area, said it was “increasing security system-wide.”

“Cars coming into the Buffalo Airport will undergo security checks and travelers can expect additional screenings. The Buffalo and Niagara Falls Airports are fully operational,” it continued. The department added that travelers should “give themselves time for these extra precautions in addition to holiday travel.”

This article was updated on Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m. E.T. to include an additional statement from Gov. Kathy Hochul and reported deaths involved in the incident. The article was updated on Nov. 23 at 10:30 a.m. E.T. and Nov. 24 at 4:37 p.m. E.T with details of the husband and wife killed in the crash, and the make of the car involved in the crash.

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