Manager, community concerned over attempted arson at N.B. bar

When Charles Francis showed up for work Friday morning, he knew something wasn’t right.

The manager of the Elsipogtog Sports Bar, in Elsipogtog First Nation, could smell fumes, but wasn’t sure where they were coming from.

He decided to check the back lot and when he went outside he immediately noticed the fence was burnt.

“You know, I didn’t really expect the seriousness of the situation. It just looked like a really small fire. But what happened was, I went inside to check the camera footage and that’s when I saw the footage that really shocked me,” said Francis.

What he saw was a blue vehicle approaching the building around 4 a.m. that morning.

Three people wearing masks and hoods got out and two of them dumped fuel on the building and fence.

A third individual tossed a flare on the fuel creating a fireball.

Francis doesn’t believe anyone has a beef with him or the owner and he isn’t sure why someone would try to burn the family business down.

“I feel like it was definitely a targeted thing. It wasn’t like a fire bug or a random act or maybe kids messing around, nothing like that. We’ve been in business 17 years and we’ve never had any issues,” said Francis.

The damage was minimal, but the RCMP are treating the incident like an arson and have obtained a copy of the video.

Cpl. Vanessa DeMerchant, of the Elsipogtog RCMP detachment, said they’ve been checking with other businesses in the area to determine if they have surveillance footage that is also available.

“We’re following up on some leads, but nothing concrete yet,” said DeMerchant. “It’s still an ongoing investigation.”

The Elsipogtog Band Council is concerned about the incident.

In a statement to CTV News, band manager Francis Simon said the bar is a well-managed, privately owned establishment that contributes to community housing through its gaming revenues.

“It is apparent from the video circulating on social media, that the act was intentional, which leads to many other questions. It is our hope that the individuals involved are quickly apprehended and held accountable for their actions,” said Simon.

Simon added that an act such as this does not only affect the business involved, but also causes risks to many local businesses in Elsipogtog and undermines the general safety of the community.

Francis said he’s more saddened than angry about the fire at his bar and he’s confident the RCMP will catch the culprits.

“I feel like it’s a fairly unique vehicle because of the colour. The one person in particular that actually threw the fire thing, he looks pretty unique. I feel like somebody would be able to recognize him,” said Francis.

Both the police and the band council are encouraging community members who have any information to reach out to the Elsipogtog detachment or crime stoppers.

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