Police investigating suspected arson at Scarborough restaurant
Employees inside the building managed to safely escape with no injuries reported: Toronto Fire
Toronto police are investigating a suspected arson after a fire erupted at a restaurant in Scarborough early Friday.
Toronto Fire says crews were called to a restaurant near Kennedy Road and Lawrence Avenue E., at around 2:47 a.m.
The two-alarm blaze has since been put out, Toronto Fire District Chief Dan Viera, but firefighters remain at the scene.
Omkar Belwate, a corporate chef at Shaaz Cuisine, said four employees were inside the restaurant at the time. Belwate said the employees saw the suspects break into the restaurant and pour what appeared to be gasoline, before lighting the fire and escaping.
Belwate said the incident was the second time the restaurant's east-end location has been subject to a break-in, in less than a year. He says he doesn't know why it has been targeted.
"What happened right now ... is very unexpected. It is very shocking for us [and] very frightening for the staff," he said Friday morning.
Employees managed to safely escape, Toronto police said. No injuries have been reported.
Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal said it will not be investigating the blaze.
Three male suspects wearing dark clothes and masks were seen leaving the area, police said.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact police.