Explosion rocks deli in Westmount, Que.
Montreal police look for links to dozens of firebombings
Last Updated: Thursday, November 18, 2010 | 3:55 PM ET
CBC News
Montreal firefighters put out a fire that was started Thursday morning at Cavallaro Fine Foods. The grocery and deli is at 4865 Sherbrooke Street W. in Westmount. (Melissa Kent/CBC) Montreal police are investigating a firebombing at a popular Italian grocery store and deli in upscale Westmount, a municipality on the island of Montreal.
At 4:30 a.m. Thursday, someone threw a Molotov cocktail into Cavallaro Fine Foods on Sherbrooke Street West near Victoria Avenue.
The explosion could be heard across the upscale neighbourhood.
Firefighters arrived quickly and damage was limited. No one was injured.
Montreal police said the molotov cocktail was thrown into Cavallaro Fine Foods through the back of the shop. (Melissa Kent/CBC)"Arson squad investigators will be looking into this case to understand why this specific place was targeted," said Montreal police Const. Anie Lemieux.
She said it's too soon to say if the attack is linked to nearly two dozen firebombings since the spring.
"It's still undetermined who did this. Arson squad investigators will be going to scene to gather as many elements as possible to see if this event is related to any other similar events," said Lemieux.
Most of the other attacks happened in north-end neighbourhoods of Rivière-des-Prairies, Saint-Leonard, Villeray-Saint-Michel and Montreal North.
Police believe some of the recent firebombings might be related to a Mafia war or a street-gang battle over turf.
View an interactive map of the recent surge of arson incidents in Montreal below:
View Montreal firebombings in a larger map
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