Car set on fire at home of owner of Old Montreal buildings hit by fatal arsons

By The Canadian Press on October 17, 2024.

MONTREAL – A vehicle was set on fire this morning in the driveway of the residence of a lawyer who owns two Old Montreal buildings that have burned down in the past two years and left nine people dead.

Police did not formally identify the owner of the home but city property records show that the residence in Dorval, Que., an on-island Montreal suburb, belongs to Emile Benamor.

The vandalism to the vehicle is at least the third criminal incident this month involving property owned by Benamor, and the fourth since March 2023.

Benamor owns the Notre-Dame Street East building that went up in flames on Oct. 4, claiming the lives of a mother and daughter from France.

He also owns a heritage property on nearby Place D’Youville that was allegedly set on fire in March 2023, leading to the deaths of seven people.

And on Oct. 8, a building in the same area owned by Benamor that houses his law office was hit by gunfire, with Montreal police arresting three suspects – aged 17, 19 and 20 – shortly after.

Police say emergency services were called around 3 a.m. about a vehicle on fire in the driveway of a residence on Whitehead Crescent. According to initial information, a suspect used accelerant to light flames before fleeing on foot.

A Montreal fire department spokeswoman says no one was injured and the flames did not spread to the home, but the vehicle is a total loss.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2024.

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