There has been a "vehicle explosion" on the Rainbow Bridge on the U.S.–Canada border near Niagara Falls, NY, that shut down the Border crossing.
FBI Buffalo, New York, office, wrote on social media that it launched an investigation and is coordinating with local officials. "As this situation is very fluid, that's all we can say at this time," the FBI statement said.
A vehicle was attempting to enter the U.S. said a spokesperson for the Niagara Falls mayor’s office. Few details were provided.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul released a statement Wednesday, saying she was "briefed on the situation" at the bridge.
"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. I am traveling to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement and emergency responders and will update New Yorkers when more information becomes available," her statement said.
Erie County, NY, Sheriff John Garcia told local media outlets that specialty teams are involved in the probe as well. His office also deployed a bomb squad, he said.
There were anonymously sourced reports saying that the incident might be terror-related. Unnamed sources told Fox News and other outlets that explosives were located in the vehicle and that two people who were in the car are dead.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there are four points of entry near Buffalo. As of 2 p.m. ET, the website says that lanes are closed on the Rainbow Bridge, while the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission reported that all four of its crossings were closed.
Confirming the closures, the Niagara Falls police said the bridge was closed after what officials called an "incident involving a vehicle coming into the United States." There have been conflicting reports, however, about the direction that the vehicle was going.
Airports have also taken precautions, officials have said. "The [Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority] has increased security throughout its system, including at the airport, due to the situation at the Rainbow Bridge," said Helen Tederous, a spokesperson for the authority, which helps operate the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the Buffalo News.
