Arson suspected in fires at a B’nai B’rith camp near Ottawa
Firefighters battling blaze at the Jewish-run camp say two buildings burnt; no casualties reported; no evidence of antisemitic motive
Investigators at a fire at Camp B'nai B'rith in Pontiac, Quebec on Feb. 12, 2023. (Courtesy Collines-de-l’Outaouais via JTA)
JTA — Police said arson may be behind two fires at a Jewish camp in a village near Ottawa.
Firefighters battled a blaze before dawn on Sunday at one building at Camp B’nai B’rith in Pontiac, Quebec, when another building burst into flames, CTV News reported.
Police said the damage ran to about $600,000, adding that the fire “was of an arson nature.”
No one was at the camp when the blazes occurred, CTV quoted camp officials as saying.
“At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that this was an antisemitic or racially motivated act,” said the statement from police in the municipal regional council of Collines-de-l’Outaouais. “However, it is still too early in the investigation to rule out this possibility.”