Pizzeria destroyed in 4th suspicious fire to hit Ormstown, Que., in recent months
The mayor of the municipality and business owners are in shock following the latest in a string of suspicious fires being investigated by the provincial police in the small town.
It's the 4th suspicious fire in less than 4 months in the small town in the Montérégie region
Boshko Maric · CBC News
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Provincial police are investigating a suspected arson that left a restaurant in Ormstown, Que. reduced to rubble this weekend.
According to the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), firefighters were called to the scene of a fire at Pizzeria Ormstown, formerly known as Pizza Sara, on Lambton Street around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.
SQ spokesperson Louis-Philippe Ruel said that officers found multiple items at the scene to suggest the fire was deliberately set.
This is the fourth suspicious fire in Ormstown since late July. Casa Venizia was hit at the end of July; Express 57 at the end of September; Pizzeria Ormstown on Nov. 4 then again on Nov. 8.
Last week, a 27-year-old man was arrested in Ormstown for attempted arson after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a business.
The cases are all being investigated by provincial police, but the SQ says it's too early to determine whether they're all related.
Mayor calling on province for help with 'unacceptable' situation
Ormstown Mayor Philippe Besombes told CBC News on Sunday that the series of fires was unacceptable.
"This morning I was in shock," he said. "For me and the population, it's really difficult."
Ormstown Mayor Philippe Besombes says he was in shock after learning about the fire this morning. (Gloria Henriquez/CBC)
Besombes says he has met with provincial police three times in recent weeks to raise concerns about the incidents.
He believes the SQ needs more resources to carry out its investigations.
"I want help from the government of Quebec," he said, adding that the fires have created a sense of fear among residents in the municipality, which has a population of just under 4,000 people.
Besombes wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday morning that he has requested an urgent meeting with Quebec's minister of public safety to discuss concrete actions to put an end to the fires.
Claude DeBellefeuille, the MP of Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent also took to Facebook to say that she agreed with the mayor that the situation was abnormal and inacceptable.
In the meantime, the mayor says he plans to hold meetings with business owners in Ormstown to discuss ways the municipality can protect them going forward.
'We live in fear'
Claude Gervais owns Express 57 Diner, a restaurant on Lambton Street, just a couple doors down from Pizzeria Ormstown.
He says the business, which was started by his mother three decades ago, enjoyed a peaceful existence up until about five years ago.
"We had a fire, and we thought it was just a typical electric fire at the beginning," Gervais explained. "Six months later we found out that it was arson."
Two months ago, Express 57 Diner was targeted again by an attempted arsonist, while Gervais' mother was at home her apartment above the restaurant.
"We live in fear," Gervais said. "We don't live the same way anymore, since the last five years."
Gervais says it is difficult to make sense of the fires and attempted arson attacks in his community.
And after hearing about this morning's events, he is considering closing up shop and moving out of town.
"Everything is on the table right now," Gervais said. "We can't exist this way... it's very stressful."
Nathalie Côté opened her store for the first time on Nov 7. and is already reconsidering the location. (Gloria Henriquez/CBC)
Nathalie Côté owns GotX Rock, a music store two doors down from Pizzeria Ormstown. She just opened her store for the first time on Saturday.
Côté said she's not sure if it's safe to have a store in Ormstown, and worries about Gervais and the nearby Express 57 Diner as well.
She said she'd like to see the city add more cameras to help people feel more secure.
"I'm scared to death," she said. "I'm closed today, but I don't know if I'm going to stay."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Boshko Maric is a journalist with CBC Montreal. He loves to report on arts and culture and is also a jazz musician. You can send him an email at boshko.maric@cbc.ca
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