Montreal's Hochelaga Neighbourhood Saw Two Unrelated Arsons On Saturday Night
The fires are not yet considered linked, the SPVM said.
SPVM vehicle driving through Montreal.
Two separate criminal fires took place late Saturday night in Montreal's Mercier—Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, damaging a home's garage and a car, according to SPVM spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron. The incidents are being investigated as arsons, and one suspect has been identified in the event that damaged a garage.
A Molotov cocktail was used in the first fire, which took place at approximately 12:45 a.m. and targeted a garage door. The suspect fled the scene before the SPVM arrived, and though Bergeron described the damage to the door as "important," the home remains mostly unscathed.
The case has been transferred to the arson investigation team for further inquiry.
The second arson occurred at 1:45 a.m. the same night, when a car was set on fire near rue Cabrini in the same area. The SPVM was originally called in for "traffic control," per Bergeron, but the fire department directed them towards a burning car that they suspected was deliberately set alight. The incident is being treated as suspicious.
Despite both fires taking place in the same area, it's still "too early" to determine if the events are linked, Bergeron said.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.