White House "closely monitoring" vehicle explosion at US-Canada border, says official
Nov 23, 2023
Washington DC [US], November 23 : The White House is closely monitoring the situation after the 'vehicle explosion' incident at the US-Canada border that killed two people, a senior official told reporters on Wednesday (local time).
The White House official also informed that law enforcement is on scene and the matter is being investigated.
"The White House is closely monitoring the situation, law enforcement is on scene and investigating," the senior White House official said.
This comes after a 'vehicle explosion' at the US-Canada border crossing near Niagara Falls in the afternoon hours on Wednesday killed two people, CBS News reported citing sources.
Four US-Canada border crossings in the region have been closed as investigators respond to the situation, it said.
A senior US law enforcement official told CBS News that the car was coming from the US side. It hit the customs station and the vehicle was charred. It is not yet known why the car exploded.
A senior administration official described the incident to CBS News as "more than a freak accident, but we don't yet have details."
A Canadian visitor to New York said he was walking close by when the incident happened and he noticed the vehicle speeding in the direction of the border crossing.
Meanwhile, the FBI Buffalo Field Office said in a statement that the incident is being investigated in coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
"The FBI Buffalo Field Office is investigating a vehicle explosion at the Rainbow Bridge, a border crossing between the US and Canada in Niagara Falls. The FBI is 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," it posted on X.
The Rainbow Bridge, which links Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and Niagara Falls, New York, is a well-liked tourist destination. The Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, and the Peace Bridge are the other border crossings in the area.
Following the incident, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said in a statement: "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".
Adding further, she stated that as of now, she is on her way to Buffalo to "meet with law enforcement and emergency responders" and take stock of the situation.
The Rainbow Bridge crossing connecting the US and Canada near Niagara Falls has been shut as the federal authorities in Buffalo, New York, have said that an investigation is underway.
