SAINT-JÉRÔME, Que. – Police are investigating an intentionally set fire that took three hours to extinguish early Thursday and caused serious damage to a St. Jérôme bowling alley.
“It is too early to determine whether there is a link” with a similar attack on the same business in September 2006, Sgt. Christine Coulombe of the Sûreté du Québec said.
No injuries were reported.
Coulombe said she could not furnish an estimate of the monetary damages. Both the facade of the large building, which included 36 lanes, and the structure’s interior were damaged.
The blaze erupted about 4:15 a.m. inside the Centre de Quilles Lafontaine on St. Georges St., about 60 kilometres northwest of Montreal.
While “it is considered arson,” Coulombe would not comment on reports that gasoline canisters were found inside the building.
Firefighters from neighbouring St. Hyppolite and Prévost were called in to help their St. Jérôme counterparts.
The SQ is running the criminal probe at the request of the St. Jérôme municipal force, Coulombe said.
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