Niagara Falls police identify victims of Rainbow Bridge explosion

New York police have identified the two victims who died in an explosion on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls this week.

The Niagara Falls Police Department said in a release that a husband and wife were killed in the explosion: 53-year-old Kurt Villani and 53-year-old Monica Villani, both of Grand Island, N.Y.

Police said the Wednesday explosion is still under investigation and they did not have any other details to share.

Local authorities are undertaking the investigation as a traffic incident after the FBI wrapped up its case, concluding the incident did not involve terrorism.

The Rainbow Bridge connects Niagara Falls, N.Y., into Niagara Falls, Ontario, and is a major border crossing for the U.S. and Canada.

The car raced through an intersection and after hitting a median careened into a border crossing booth, where it exploded.

While the incident raised fears of a terror attack, the FBI said there were no explosive materials at the scene and no evidence of a connection to terrorist groups.

The crash prompted the closure of the bridge and other U.S.-Canada crossings from Ontario to New York, but they have since reopened.

New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said she was grateful for police “working to keep New Yorkers safe during the busiest travel time of the year.”