A Montreal restaurant was the target of an arson attack Wednesday morning.
Police say a call came in around 4:25 a.m. for a fire at the Queue de Cheval restaurant on de la Montagne St.
Witnesses spotted a person was seen fleeing the scene shortly after the fire broke out, according to police.
The relatively minor fire started in the entrance of the restaurant and was put out by the restaurant’s sprinklers. There was no one in the restaurant at the time.
The Montreal police arson squad was at the scene Wednesday to start their investigation.
However the restaurant’s owner Peter Morentzos told CTV he didn't see a fire, isn't certain if there was a fire and disputes the idea that it was a criminal act.
He suggests a beer bottle may have been thrown through the window, hit the sprinkler and set it off.
“I know that sounds very romantic and today, gangster, but we're the Queue de Cheval. We have a long-standing relationship with our city, we’re a reputable restaurant and we don't have these types of situations,” he said.
Morentzos said he believes it was somebody on the street walking by.
He does not believe that it was premeditated in any way and said he’s reviewing the restaurant’s security cameras to see if they can learn anything new.
The restaurant was open in time to welcome Wednesday’s lunch crowd.
