Innisfail RCMP is seeking the public's assistance in finding the culprit responsible for smashing into Main Street's Domino's Pizza and starting a devastating early morning fire inside the restaurant.
The blaze on Oct. 19 caused extensive damage to the interior of the restaurant and forced the temporary closure of the business. There is now a large plywood board across a smashed out window fronting Main Street. No employee or patron was inside the business at the time of the blaze. However, the damage to the business has put at least eight young employees out of work until at least early November.
“I've only been in Innisfail for about a year now and from what I see it is getting to be a pretty bad town,” said Tyler De Freitas, the restaurant's co-owner, who was out of town when the fire department received an emergency call his business was on fire. Domino's was struck with a break and enter last January when culprits broke in, damaged security cameras and cracked open the restaurant's safe, and stole about $600.
“I really don't know what to say other than there are people with a lot of free time on their hands who like to do this kind of stuff,” said De Freitas.
RCMP Cpl. Jeff Hildebrandt said an early morning Mountie patrol was coming into Innisfail from out of town at about 3:45 a.m. after investigating a large bush party when they noticed Main Street in front of Domino's “lit up.”
“As we were coming down Main Street the whole street was lit up in front of Domino's and the fire department was there attending to open flames,” said Hildebrandt, adding firefighters were focusing on putting out a fire that had started in the front left corner of the business, next to the large east- side window. “It was a significant event, a significant property damage event, as well as an attack on a local business that is of concern to us. It was definitely a targeted attack.”
Hildebrandt said firefighters “effectively and quickly” put out the blaze, which had engulfed and caused considerable damage to the front of the business, including its counter. He said there was also “considerable” water and smoke damage to the business. There were no injuries to emergency personnel from battling the blaze.
“It was an arson, obviously, a break and enter and commit arson, and as such that specific business was targeted. Somebody obviously went to that business and it wasn't an incidental act,” said Hildebrandt. “We are looking for any possible assistance from the public regarding information on who may have perpetrated the offence, or anybody who may have seen anything suspicious or heard anybody talking about this occurrence after the fact.”
De Freitas said although he does not feel he was a specific target he does believe there was a “motive” behind the attack.
“I hear there was writing (profanity) in the concrete as well and obviously there was some sort of motive,” said De Freitas, who does not yet have an estimate on the dollar value of the damage as insurance adjusters are still working on the file. “I try not to get frustrated. I am a pretty calm person. I try to see the best in every situation. I give jobs to the kids in the community and hope we can make things a little bit better.”
Meanwhile, Hildebrandt said police are still investigating whether anything, including cash, was stolen from the business. As far as possible evidence from security video, he would only say that issue is also under investigation.
“How much entry there was into the business is still under investigation,” said Hildebrandt. “It may not have even been necessary as the fire could have started by reaching into the window, as opposed to actually entering the business and completing further damage.”
If any citizen has information about the fire at Domino's, he or she is urged to contact the Innisfail RCMP detachment at 403-227-3342 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
