FBI investigation vehicle explosion on Rainbow Bridge
NIAGRA FALLS, N.Y. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating a vehicle explosion that occurred Wednesday at the Rainbow Bridge, the border crossing between the United States (U.S.) and Canada at Niagara Falls.
Officials briefed on the matter say that according to preliminary information, the vehicle crashed into the checkpoint structure a very high-rate of speed.
It then caught fire and exploded killing at least two occupants inside the car.
An initial search reportedly did not find a secondary explosive or device. Authorities are working to determine whether or not the incident was intentional.
One witness, Mike Guenther, at the scene details what he saw leading up to explosion, saying at one point the vehicle was even airborne.
"So we're walking up the road and we seen this car coming down towards the border and he was flying over 100 miles an hour. There was a car in front of him. He swerved out, went in front of the car, hit the fence, went flying up into the air. He hit - I think there was an elevation part. He went up into the air and we just seen the fireball and that's all we can see. It was just covered in smoke everywhere."
Mike Guenther, Rainbow Bridge crash witness
All Western New York bridge crossings into the U.S. have been shut down.
