Suspected arson at a kosher restaurant in Montreal
A fire broke out at the kosher restaurant "Noam". Eyewitnesses reported a person seen leaving the scene shortly after the flames erupted.
The Montreal police have launched an investigation into suspected arson following a fire that broke out overnight at the kosher restaurant "Noam" (Nöam) in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. No one was injured, but heavy damage was caused to the structure.
Emergency services were called to the scene around 03:15 AM (local time) on Decarie Boulevard. The fire damaged the restaurant, which serves Mediterranean, Italian, and international cuisine, as well as an adjacent garage, before the flames were brought under control.
According to police spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron, eyewitnesses observed a person fleeing the scene shortly after the fire began. Consequently, the case was transferred to the Montreal police's special arson investigation unit, which will examine the scene and collect security footage in an attempt to locate the suspect.
In response to a question about whether the background of the incident could be a hate crime, Bergeron noted that at this stage, no official motive has been determined. "We have no indication of that at the moment, but we will examine all possible directions," he clarified.
