Tracking social media: The Niagara explosion. No sign it was an attack, NY gov says.

Thousands of people traveling the day before Thanksgiving were affected Wednesday by an explosion at the U.S.-Canadian border crossing by Niagara Falls.

A speeding vehicle on the American side of a U.S.-Canada border crossing near Niagara Falls blew up, killing two people and forcing authorities to close several border checkpoints.

Two people found dead were inside the vehicle that exploded, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press.

Video of the explosion at the Canadian border

There is video of the incident on social media from MSNBC broadcasts, credited to "Chorkor Millionaire." It shows a vehicle hit the median and go airborne.

There were more types of posts on social about the explosion.

On the Democrat and Chronicle Instagram, users discussed the effect on flights out of Buffalo and scare tactics on social media trying to make the crisis into a "terrorist attack" at the border for political purposes. There is no evidence shared that it was an attack.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said there was “no indication of a terrorist attack.”

Where is the Rainbow Bridge?

Rainbow Bridge is often seen on social media. The crossing is convenient to Rochester and Buffalo — and New York City. It's technically called the "Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge."

• "Additional measures” were underway Wednesday afternoon at border crossings across Canada. In Toronto, 100 miles away, patrols were being stepped up.

• New York City police were keeping an eye on the news from Niagara but already had boosted security in places because of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

• The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission reported that all four of its crossings — the others are Lewiston, Whirlpool and Peace Bridge — were closed.

It took hours for some answers to emerge from the scene.

Photos and video taken by bystanders and posted on social showed billowing smoke, flames on the pavement and a security booth that had been singed. Videos showed that the fire was in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection area just east of the main vehicle checkpoint. The agency had no immediate comment.

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

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority released a statement on Wednesday afternoon to inform travelers that while Buffalo and Niagara Falls Airports are "fully operational," there will be extra security measures.

The Associated Press wrote that about 6,000 vehicles cross the Rainbow Bridge each day, according to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s National Bridge Inventory. About 5% is truck traffic, according to the federal data.

"In the response to the incident that is unfolding at the Rainbow Bridge, the NFTA is increasing security system-wide," a statement from on X reads. "Cars coming into the Buffalo Airport will undergo security checks and travelers can expect additional screenings."

— USA TODAY and the Associated Press contributed information for this article.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Thanksgiving travel jolted by explosion at Niagara border crossing