All four bridges at the U.S. border with Canada in western New York were closed Wednesday afternoon after authorities reported that a “vehicle explosion” had occurred on the Rainbow Bridge near Niagara Falls.

With uncertainty surrounding the incident near the world-renowned waterfalls, officials took the precaution of also closing the Peace Bridge, Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, Whirlpool Bridge, with traffic lanes blocked both into and out of the U.S. and Canada.

Local police and the top U.S. criminal investigative agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, immediately opened an investigation into the explosion on the Rainbow Bridge, which is within sight of the much-visited Niagara Falls.

The explosion occurred on one of the busiest travel days in the U.S., the day before the annual Thanksgiving holiday when many families were driving and flying to visit relatives and friends.
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