A violent fire of potentially criminal origin broke out at a farmer’s home in Oka early Saturday. And the mayor of the municipality fears it could happen again.
On Saturday, around 3:45 a.m., emergency services were alerted to a huge fire on Rang de l’Annonciation in Oka. The fire apparently started at a market gardener, Les Jardins Végibec, confirmed Oka Mayor Pascal Quevillon.
“On site, there are certain elements that lead us to believe that it could be arson,” explains officer Nicolas Scholtus, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), without specifying what elements were involved.
According to the SQ, it took a little over three hours to bring the flames under control. The Saint-Joseph-du-Lac Firefighters Association, which came to assist the Oka firefighters, described the fire as “extremely violent” in a Facebook post.
Rising tensions
The mayor of Oka is concerned about the recurrence of arson attacks. Mr. Quevillon spoke of the tensions that exist in the communities of Oka and Kanesatake.
“We want citizens to feel safe,” said the mayor. Earlier in the day, Mr. Quevillon sent a letter to the SQ, in which he said that the situation “is getting out of control.”
Fire scene technicians, investigators and a dog handler from the Sûreté du Québec were dispatched to the scene to clarify the circumstances of the event. The investigation is still ongoing.