MONTREAL - A section of Park Ave. near Sherbrooke St. was closed to traffic Thursday morning as police investigated an attempted arson.
Witnesses say a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and black clothing broke a window at 3421 Park Ave. then started a fire shortly after 4 a.m.
The man appears to have set his clothes on fire afterwards and run off northbound on Park Ave. before anyone could stop him.
The sprinkler system inside the pharmacy controlled the flames, and firefighters found a flammable liquid had been spread around the store.
Northbound lanes were blocked off while police conducted their investigation.
"Especially if they use some accelerants to start a fire, and the fact they break a window to do it, it certainly looks criminal and that's why our investigators are on the scene," said Constable Yannick Paradis.
The incident shook people who live and work in the area.
"A little bit scared, a little bit intimidated to think this is something that can happen right next door," said Roger Joseph, who works in the building.
Arsonists have attacked dozens of restaurants and cafes this year in what police are calling a war between organized criminals.
However police say it is too early to make a connection right now between this crime and other arsons.
The owner of the pharmacy refused to talk to CTV Montreal about what happened.
Outremont duplex fire
Another fire broke out overnight, this time in Outremont.
A two-storey duplex that was in the process of being renovated caught fire around 4:15 a.m.
60 firefighters were needed to extinguish the flames at 805 Dunlop.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was sent to hospital as a precautionary measure.
The cause of this fire is not known.
