US-Canada border checkpoint near Niagara Falls
FBI investigation begins… Biden also received a report
Airport international flight stop… Railroad service to Canada suspended
On the 22nd (local time), a car exploded at a border checkpoint between the U.S. and Canada near Niagara Falls.
Four border checkpoints were closed after the accident, with the driver and others dead, and nearby airport and rail service were also disrupted. Both the United States and Canada have launched tense investigations with the possibility of terrorism in mind, but so far, the connection to terrorism does not appear to be significant.
According to the Associated Press and CNN, a vehicle collided with a fence and exploded while entering a checkpoint on the US border at the Rainbow Bridge near Niagara this morning.
According to eyewitness accounts, a vehicle traveling at high speed from the U.S. collided with a fence while avoiding another vehicle, and a large fire broke out.
A spokesperson for the city of Niagara Falls, New York, explained that a vehicle traveling at high speed from the direction of the city collided at a checkpoint.
There were two people in the vehicle, but both died, the AP reported.
The Rainbow Bridge is a bridge that connects New York, USA, and Ontario, Canada, and is where the border checkpoints of both countries operate.
Both countries are closely monitoring the issue due to concerns about possible terrorism. In particular, the United States appears to be responding sensitively as it is the day before Thanksgiving, when families gather, like Chuseok in Korea.
In the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched an investigation into the exact circumstances of the accident, and President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland are also said to have been briefed on the matter. “We are taking it very seriously,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told parliament today.
Due to the accident, both border checkpoints leading to the Rainbow Bridge were closed. As a precautionary measure, all three border checkpoints connecting the U.S. and Canada near Niagara Falls were closed to traffic. However, it is reported that traffic has now resumed in some areas.
At Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York, USA, all international departures and arrivals were halted, and the railway connecting New York to Canada was also reportedly temporarily suspended.
However, as the investigation progresses, it is being evaluated that the connection to terrorism does not appear to be significant.
New York Governor Cathy Hocal said, “At this time, there are no signs of a terrorist attack,” and Mayor Jim Diodati of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, also assessed that it appeared to be an independent incident.
It is reported that the vehicle involved in the accident was staying at a casino in New York, USA and headed to the border checkpoint.
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.