Arson suspected after fire breaks out at popular Etobicoke burger restaurant for 4th time

Janice Golding has the details on a suspected arson at a Burger’s Priest location in Etobicoke, which police say has happened multiple times before.

Toronto police are looking for suspects accused of intentionally setting a popular burger restaurant in Etobicoke on fire four times, with the most recent happening early Tuesday morning.

Crews were called to The Burger’s Priest, located at 1599 The Queensway, near The East Mall, at around 3:15 a.m. for an interior fire that had migrated to the roof.

Toronto police said a suspect broke into the restaurant and poured liquid accelerant before lighting it.

Crews arrived and extinguished the fire. No one was inside the building at the time and no injuries have been reported.

A fire investigator has been notified, a spokesperson for Toronto Fire told CP24.

A nearby business owner said just last week there was another fire at the restaurant that appeared to be deliberately set.

“Last week, it was like I was watching a Terminator movie,” he told CP24 on Tuesday morning.

“Two guys go along the building, go inside… light a fire and almost blew themselves up.”

In a news release, Toronto police confirmed that Tuesday’s fire is the latest suspected arson at the restaurant.

The first one occurred on June 7 just after 1:30 a.m. Two suspects broke into the restaurant and caused minor fire damage at the restaurant, police said. One suspect was seen wearing a light-coloured tracksuit with light-coloured shoes.

Over a month later, on July 9 at 2 a.m., police said two suspects carrying a red jerry gas can in a black plastic bag entered the side door of the restaurant and poured accelerant, causing fire damage to an outdoor vestibule. The suspects were seen wearing all dark clothing.

Three days later, on July 12, crews responded to a fire at the restaurant at 4 a.m. Police said two suspects arrived and one poured an accelerant, damaging the outside of the restaurant.

One suspect is described as wearing a dark-coloured high-visibility suit, possibly blue, while the other had a dark-coloured sweater on with shorts, red shoes, and a backpack.

“Investigators believe the incidents are related,” police said. They did not disclose why the restaurant was being targeted.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-2200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).