Nine apartments were evacuated early Thursday morning after a fire at a restaurant in Montreal’s Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough. Montreal police (SPVM) says it received a 911 call at 4:10 a.m. about the incident at El Khawa restaurant on Jean-Talon Street near 22e Avenue. “Firefighters from the Montreal fire department were dispatched to the scene to bring the blaze under control,” said Jeanne Drouin, a spokesperson with Montreal police. “As residential units are located above this commercial premise, precautionary evacuations were carried out.” READ MORE: There were no reported injuries, and there have been no arrests. “During the examination of the scene, incendiary elements were identified, suggesting that the fire was of a criminal origin,” said Drouin. This is the third time the restaurant has been attacked by alleged arsonists; it was previously targeted twice at the end of August. The file has been transferred to the Montreal police arson squad.
