US-Canada border crossing closed after vehicle explosion on bridge

A vehicle exploded at a checkpoint on the American side of a US-Canada bridge in Niagara Falls, prompting the closing of four border crossings in the area, authorities said.

There was no immediate information on whether anyone was injured or on the cause of the explosion.

“This is obviously a very serious situation in Niagara Falls,” Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said in Parliament, as he excused himself from Question Period in the House of Commons to be briefed further.

“We are taking this extraordinary seriously,” he added.

The blast happened on the US side of the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the two countries across the Niagara River.