FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Store owners at a shopping centre in Pierrefonds-Roxboro were busy cleaning up after a failed arson attempt early Monday morning caused more inconvenience than damage, with firefighters being credited for their speedy response in saving the businesses.

Flammables found at the scene indicate that the fire were deliberately set inside the Sher-Mir shopping centre, located on St Charles Blvd., just south of Pierrefonds Blvd. The centre accommodates a hair salon, a vape store, a snow-clearing company, as well as a café and an automotive parts store.

A fire alarm rang shortly after midnight, prompting a 911 call to police and the fire department. By the time police officers arrived on the scene, firefighters had already extinguished the blaze on the north side of the building. No injuries were reported, as the mall was closed.

Montreal police spokeswoman Caroline Chèvrefils said arson investigators are studying surveillance camera footage to find clues about the fire.