Suspicious fire at small Niagara restaurant inspires fundraiser for refugee family

A fundraiser has been launched following what police are calling a suspicious fire at a shawarma restaurant in St. Catharines. 

The campaign, set up on the crowdfunding site LaunchGood, hopes to raise about $25,000 for the Alkhannous family, the owners of the Castillo Shawarma restaurant that was targeted in a suspected arson attack last month. 

According to the campaign, launched by Zakia Hamdani on behalf of Bridge of Hope, an interfaith organization dedicated to resettling refugee families in the Niagara region, the family moved to Canada from war-torn Syria eight years ago and is struggling financially in the aftermath of the blaze. 

“While they are a resilient family, the sudden closure of their business has left them without their primary source of income, and the costs of reopening are not entirely covered by insurance,” the campaign page reads. 

“The owners of Castillo Shawarma were one of the first families we sponsored to resettle in Niagara. This fundraiser is a way for the community to come together and provide some much-needed support during this challenging time.” 

Niagara police said in a news release that first responders were called to a fire at the Lock Street and Lakeport Road restaurant in the early morning hours of Sept. 12. While no one was injured in the blaze, police say their investigation suggests that two suspects, one of whom was allegedly carrying a red jerrycan, approached the restaurant and set it on fire. 

Police say the suspects were seen running north on Lock Street before getting into a black sedan at the Lock Street and Dalhousie Avenue intersection that proceeded to travel southwest on Dalhousie. 

In a Sept. 16 news release, police said they believed the incident was targeted and that officers are looking for three males–two who were observed approaching the restaurant and one who was driving the suspect vehicle. 

Detectives believe that the suspects may have visited a gas station prior to the incident and are asking businesses to review their cameras for footage in the hours leading up to the incident.

On the campaign page, organizers say the family has dedicated themselves to helping others by supporting other new refugee families in the area. The fundraiser says the fire didn’t just impact the owners but extended family who also worked at the Port Dalhousie eatery. 

“The shop not only supported the owner but also employed his extended family, who are now left struggling in the wake of this senseless act,” the website reads, adding that the campaign operators hope to raise enough money to allow the family to reopen the resto and recover from the losses they’ve endured. 

“Let’s show that we stand together, stronger than ever, and help this incredible family get back on their feet. Every contribution counts in helping Castillo Shawarma rise from the ashes and continue to serve as a symbol of hope, resilience, and community.” 

So far, the campaign has raised over $17,000.