Monica and Kurt P Villani identified as victims in deadly explosion on U.S.-Canada border

Accident – Death – Obituary News : The U.S.-Canada border was rocked by a deadly explosion on Wednesday, claiming the lives of two victims who have now been identified as Monica and Kurt P Villani, a married couple from Grand Island, New York. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday morning when the couple was driving down Rainbow Bridge, a key entry and exit point between the two countries at Niagara Falls.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that their car went airborne after colliding with a cement median. Tragically, the vehicle then burst into flames and exploded upon impact with a border crossing booth. The Niagara Falls police have expressed their condolences to the grieving families in a news release, with Police Superintendent John Faso stating, “The City of Niagara Falls would like to extend our sincere condolences to the families as they deal with this tragedy.”

Monica and Kurt P Villani, both 53 years old, were officially identified on Friday morning after their family members were notified. However, no further information about the couple has been disclosed at this time. Despite attempts to reach out to their relatives for comment, there has been no response so far.

Grand Island, where the couple resided, is located less than 10 miles away from Rainbow Bridge. It is an island town situated in Erie County, New York, approximately 12 miles north of Buffalo.

During a news briefing, Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino revealed that investigators believed the couple was en route to a KISS concert scheduled for Wednesday night. However, the concert was eventually canceled due to the illness of lead singer Paul Stanley, who was suffering from the flu, as mentioned in a post by the guitarist on X.

The Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, located on the U.S. side of the border, confirmed that the couple had briefly stopped at the casino shortly before the crash occurred.

Authorities have emphasized that the crash is still under investigation. However, they have ruled out the involvement of explosives or any connection to terrorism. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, cross-border travel at Rainbow Bridge was temporarily suspended until 6:30 p.m. the following day, as announced in a post on X by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the importance of safety and vigilance when traveling. As investigations continue, the focus remains on supporting the grieving families and understanding the circumstances that led to this devastating accident.

Note: This expanded news article is based on the original article published on NBCNews.com..