Depanneur Diablo set ablaze, quick-acting Montreal police officers put it out

Montreal police (SPVM) acted quickly and saved Depanneur Diablo from major damage after it was set on fire on Oct. 7, 2024. (Cosmo Santamaria, CTV News)

A business in Montreal's Verdun borough was the target of an arson attack on Sunday night.

Thanks to the rapid intervention of the police, the damage was minor, and there were no injuries.

At around 1:15 a.m., emergency services received a call that someone appeared to be "setting fire" to a business at the corner of Verdun and Argyle streets.

"When the police arrived on the scene, they put out a fire inside the shop with an extinguisher," said Montreal police (SPVM) spokesperson Constable Caroline Chèvrefils, on Monday morning. "According to initial information, the suspects broke the glass in the front door of the business, set fire to the interior and fled before the police arrived."

Chèvrefils noted that no incendiary objects were found at the scene, but traces of accelerant were spotted.

The investigation has been transferred to the SPVM's arson unit.

Among other things, investigators will check whether nearby security cameras have captured anything of interest.

The SPVM reported no arrests in this case early Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 7, 2024.