Explosion at Cross-Border Bridge in Niagara Falls, FBI Investigating (Report: Terror Attack)

Reports about this are just coming in so the usual rules apply here, i.e. some of the early reports may turn out to be wrong. So far what we’re seeing looks very unusual to say the least. A vehicle of some kind exploded at a bridge spanning the border between the US and Canada in Niagara Falls, New York. The bridge is now closed and the FBI announced it is investigating a “vehicle explosion.”

#FBI Buffalo statement on investigation at the Rainbow Bridge: pic.twitter.com/jRaGLL8sU8

— FBI Buffalo (@FBIBuffalo) November 22, 2023

So what happened here? A local news outlet has some eyewitness reports:

Traveling down Niagara Street, the car reportedly sped the wrong way into the inspection booths, where the explosion occurred…

Two witnesses who were present in the area when the incident happened told the Gazette that they heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion and saw a large cloud of smoke near the inspections station on Wednesday morning shortly before police arrived on the scene.

Video and photos from the scene make it seem like this was a pretty large explosion.

An explosion just occurred at #NiagraFalls Rainbow Bridge area. Don’t know what happened but we’ve been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/KEVOGyLqxW

— ⚽Acid Phase⚽ (@AC1DPHA5E) November 22, 2023

This person is suggesting this could be terrorism but to be clear no authorities have said that yet. But look at the damage.

Breaking news: Possible terror attack rainbow Bridge Niagra falls. #NYS pic.twitter.com/bIrUUQSmKp

— nycphotog (@nycphotog) November 22, 2023

Some additional photos of the scene.

So some sort of photo at the Rainbow Bridge at Niagra Falls. WTF? pic.twitter.com/l6vjnO8pEZ

— Bobby Lou (@papichuloNine99) November 22, 2023

This is apparently the fire at the scene right after the explosion.

NEW YORK: BREAKING: Car explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between US and Canada in Niagra Falls, on one of the busiest travel days of the year. The bridge is closed till further notice. pic.twitter.com/yznXMEdr2K

— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) November 22, 2023

As a result of this, all four of the crossing points between New York state and Canada have been closed. And here’s the first report I’ve seen connecting this to terrorism. This is coming from an unidentified police source via a Fox News reporter.

Fox News reports that the explosion at a Niagra Falls border crossing was an “attempted terrorist attack” per “high-level police sources.” pic.twitter.com/OBY4MYRqV6

— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) November 22, 2023

Here’s the reporter who got this:

High level police sources tell me this is an attempted terrorist attack. Sources say the car was full of explosives. Both men inside dead. https://t.co/RYTIJ3WzHk

— Alexis McAdams (@AlexisMcAdamsTV) November 22, 2023

The Niagara Gazette is also reporting that two people in the car were killed.

Traveling down Niagara Street, the car sped onto the bridge plaza, went through a fence separating the inbound lanes from the outbound lanes, and toward the inspection lanes where it exploded, according to law enforcement sources.

Two occupants in the car were killed in the explosion.

Gov. Hochul is heading to the scene.

At my direction, @nyspolice is actively working with the @FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force to monitor all points of entry to New York.

I am traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement & emergency responders & will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available.

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) November 22, 2023

More photos of the scene.

JUST IN: Unbelievable photos from the Rainbow Bridge vehicle explosion. 📸: One Niagara Welcome Center pic.twitter.com/ghKfi1S0VN

— Stephen Marth (@StephenMarth) November 22, 2023

This eyewitness saw the car drive past him heading for the bridge. He said it seemed to be going 100 miles per hour and was fishtailing from the speed. He described the car hitting a fence and then launching into the air before exploding in a massive fireball.

Update: One of the things I’ve been looking for in the coverage is any sense of why this happened. I haven’t seen anything yet but Beege happened to catch this CBS report last night and sent it to me.

.@CBSNews obtained intel alert which points to “an increasing terrorist threat to New York State” tied to Israel-Hamas war” + the “increase in civilian casualties raises the likelihood that violent extremist threat actors will seek to conduct attacks…”pic.twitter.com/Rkgk2ZiNKK

— Catherine Herridge (@CBS_Herridge) November 22, 2023