Billowing smoke emerged from an explosion at Niagara Falls, which claimed the lives of two people in a vehicle. Get the latest updates sent straight to your inbox by signing up for our free evening headlines emails. The cause of the Rainbow Bridge vehicle explosion, which occurred on Wednesday, continues to puzzle authorities who are now investigating if it was the result of a mechanical failure.
According to New York Times, Niagara Falls mayor Robert Restaino speculated that the explosion may have been a result of an older model Bentley that experienced a mechanical glitch and abruptly accelerated towards the border checkpoint. The footage taken at the scene shows the vehicle speeding up, hitting a curb, and then exploding after becoming airborne.
The incident initially caused concern about a potential terrorist attack, however Governor Kathy Hochul and the FBI have since clarified that there is no evidence to support this. They further reported that the couple, identified as Kurt P Villani and Monica Villani, were planning to attend a KISS concert in Canada that night. The performance was ultimately canceled due to illness affecting the band’s frontman. Unfortunately, the tragedy unfolded as the couple’s vehicle approached the US-Canada border crossing.
Additionally, new reports indicate that the car explosion was not a result of terrorism. Instead, it appears that the couple was crossing the border to reach the concert in Canada. The vehicle emerged at high speeds and struck the border before erupting into flames.
Following the incident, several right-wing figures were criticized for rushing to characterize the event as a terrorist attack. Even though initial speculations pointed to terrorism, it has since been ruled out as a potential cause. The investigation into the incident continues. Many on social media have spoken out against the initial rush to judgment, urging more measured responses before making conclusions about the event.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the mayor of Niagara Falls speculated that the vehicle involved may have experienced a mechanical issue, citing that the Bentley the couple was driving was an older model. State authorities stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the crash was the result of terrorism.
Due to the speedy circulation of initial reports with reckless speculation, Fox News received criticism for their initial portrayal of the event as a terrorist attack. The tragic explosion was later revealed to be an unforeseen automotive disaster and not an act of terrorism.
