‘We need more protection’: Windsor business reeling from arson, theft in 2 days

Following a fire at a new downtown Windsor restaurant, a local business owner is debating its location. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru reports.

A Windsor business owner says he is unsure if he will be able to reopen — just two months after launching — following a major fire and apparent break in at his Wyandotte Street East business.

Surveillance video shared with CTV News appears to show an individual pouring fuel from a jerry can behind Squad Pub and Grill just before 4 a.m. on Good Friday, before igniting a fire.

Separate footage captured early Saturday morning at around 6:30 a.m. shows an unknown individual helping a second person access the roof of the business.

According to business owner Shahdesh Kshatriya, the two were able to enter the premises through an opening in a side wall caused by the fire before stealing at least $30,000 worth of items.

“I just opened my business two months ago. I was already in a loss because I’ve been trying to grow the business,” said Kshatriya, adding he has spent more than $1 million of his own money to launch Squad Pub & Grill.

“I was not expecting this,” he added.

Kshatriya, who moved to Windsor five years ago, says he was encouraged to open his business after hearing calls from officials promoting the city as a good place to invest.

But after this past weekend, the 29-year-old says he is reconsidering that decision.

“It is demotivating us to do business in the city. We need more protection, more support. It’s all about the safety — not just for my business, but for all the others on Wyandotte,” he said.

The fire broke out while Kshatriya and his fiancée were resting in a unit above the business. He says a live security system alerted him within seconds, allowing him to call firefighters quickly.

Along with the couple, two other people were inside the building when the fire broke out Friday morning, according to Kshatriya. Fortunately, no one was injured.

While the fire began outside, it caused damage inside the building. In the women’s washroom, for example, insulation is now exposed in the ceiling and debris has fallen across the floor.

The business is located in Ward 4, represented by Coun. Mark McKenzie. CTV News requested an interview with McKenzie but was told he was unavailable Tuesday.

Renaldo Agostino, who represents neighbouring Ward 3 — where business owners have raised similar concerns in the past — says he sympathizes with Kshatriya’s situation.

“I’m a former business owner myself, and I’ve been through the broken windows. I’ve been through the fires. You’ve got to be resilient,” Agostino said.

He says incidents like this should not be viewed as specific to one area, noting similar challenges can arise in different parts of the city.

Agostino says the response often involves working directly with business owners to assess what happened and connect them with available supports — including their local business improvement association, insurance providers and police.

He adds that prevention also plays a key role, pointing to measures that should be considered early on.

“Lighting is a big deal. Alarms are a big deal. You need to factor all this into your business plan,” Agostino said. “You want to get those done before you open up your business. Don’t wait for something bad to happen.”

Kshatriya says he is now left questioning whether his business can survive.

“I don’t have my future now. I poured all my money into this business because I was told Windsor is a good place to invest,” he said.

In a statement, Windsor police say their arson unit is investigating the Friday morning blaze. It is unclear if they are also investigating the alleged weekend theft.

Kshatriya says he is also concerned about what his insurance will cover, noting the policy may only apply to damage to the building and not the tens of thousands of dollars of allegedly stolen items from inside.