THE couple who died in a fiery crash at the US-Canada border were kind neighbors who regularly volunteered, now-tragic pictures have revealed.

A tight knight community in western New York is heartbroken over the deaths of Kurt and Monica Villani who died in the explosive impact on Rainbow Bridge Wednesday.

Detectives believe the couple, both 51, had plans to attend a KISS concert in Canada that day, but the show was canceled.

Right before the crash, the Bentley they drove was spotted at a casino for mere minutes before hitting the road again.

It was then spotted again tearing across the road toward a border checkpoint in Niagara Falls.

The car hit a curb and then a guardrail before it catapulted over an eight-foot fence and smashed into a border booth.

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Dramatic pictures showed the mangled front of the Bentley before thick smoke billowed into the air.

The crash sparked fears of a terrorist attack, and everyone at the border was evacuated as a mad search for explosives was launched.

Now, investigators believe the crash could have been caused by a mechanical malfunction in the car, which was an older model, Niagara Falls mayor Robert Restaino said.

Not long after the crash, locals in Grand Island, where Kurt and Monica lived, started to speak out about their relationship with the couple.

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The small business owners were remembered as deeply caring and helpful to elderly neighbors who needed help shoveling snow in the winter.

Scott Henderson, a friend, said the couple was "ingrained and influential in this community," he told NBC affiliate WGRZ.

In 2014, Kurt was pictured with their son donating turkeys at a food bank event to feed those in need for Thanksgiving.

They were carrying on a rich tradition started by Kurt's father of donating 250 turkeys at the start of the event, WNY Papers reported at the time.

It was one of the many acts of charity the couple did throughout their rich lives in the community.

When asked about their death, neighbor and close friend Chuck Meyer said he remembered seeing a line of cars in the couple's driveway after the crash.

He thought they were celebrating the holidays early, which made the news that much more shocking.

Chuck said they gave generously to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Niagara Falls and helped fund the rebuilding of the Niagara Sailing Clubhouse which was damaged in a fire.

"That's the type of people we lost," he said.

Mary Meyer said it was "gut-wrenching" hearing they had died because "they were so loved."

Witnesses near the crash described a horror explosion that was surrounded by police in mere minutes.

Mike Guenther, a visitor from Ontario, told WGRZ that the fireball left smoke everywhere.

He said: "I've never seen anything like this. The fire was so high up in the air."

Rickie Wilson compared the impact of the crash to a movie scene.

He told the New York Times: "It came down and hit an inspection booth. Then there was a lot of black smoke, and then a fire.

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"I know I sound crazy, but the car was in the air. And not three of four feet in the air. It was like something you see in Hollywood."

Cops are still investigating the cause of the crash.

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