Buffalo Niagara International Airport has been closed to arriving international flights and departures following a car explosion that occurred at the US-Canada border in Niagara Falls on Wednesday, according to the US Department of Transportation.
The incident occurred shortly before 12pm. Authorities say that the vehicle had attempted to cross the US border into Canada. When a border patrol officer directed the vehicle into a secondary lane for searching, it sped up, went airborne over an 8-foot fence, crashed, caught on fire and then exploded.
The two individuals who died in the inside were inside the car. One border patrol officer was injured.
The driver was from western New York. Officials have not released identifying information for the passengers. There’s no indictation that the vehicle had explosives inside.
Speaking to CBC, James Diodati, mayor of Niagara Falls Ontario in Canada, said the incident appeared to be an isolated one.
New York Democratic Gov Kathy Hochul headed to Buffalo to meet with law enforcement officials. Buffalo is a city in New York at the Canadian border.
“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,” she said in a written statement.
During a news conference, Ms Hochul said that there is no evidence to show that the incident was terrorist-related. She said the driver of the vehicle was from western New York.
The border patrol officer who was hurt was taken to a nearby hospital, treated and released.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that four border crossings into the US from Canada had been closed as an investigation into the incident continued. The probe is being led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“We are taking this extraordinarily seriously,” Mr Trudeau said before excusing himself from a session of parliament. Mr Diodati said that the bridge could be closed for quite some time.
As of 5.30pm ET, two out of the four bridges on the border, The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge and The Lewiston–Queenston Bridge had been reopened. Amtrak services between New York State and Canada have been temporarily suspended.
A spokesperson for The White House told The Independent that President Joe Biden is “closely monitoring” the situation. He is spending Thanksgiving, taking place tomorrow, in Nantucket, Mass.
So far, 21 flights have been delayed at the Buffalo airport, according to FlightAware, which tracks that information. About 100 flights take off from the facility daily.
Vehicles coming into the airport will undergo security checks. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority said travelers should give themselves additional time when arriving to the airport.
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