Mimimelon Bakery Reduced to Ash After Two Nights of Fire

The structure of Mimimelon stood empty and blackened in the early hours of Wednesday, November 4, following a fire that consumed the entire building. This was the second time in 48 hours that flames engulfed the kosher bakery in Montreal’s Saint-Laurent neighborhood. No injuries were reported during either incident, as the shop was unoccupied when the fires started.

Jennie Volfson, co-owner of the business, recounted the timeline of the attacks. On Monday night, November 2, a security system alert triggered when someone attempted to open the rear door. Volfson checked the cameras and saw flames. Police and firefighters responded quickly, containing the fire before it could spread. By Wednesday, however, the situation had changed. Around 12:30 a.m., Volfson received another alert. The camera feed captured a flash of light and what she described as an explosion before the signal cut off. The resulting blaze burned through the structure, leaving it destroyed.

Volfson operates the bakery with her husband and father-in-law. She believes the second attacker may have entered through the rear door, which sustained damage during the first fire on Monday. The bakery has operated for 11 years and serves a niche market in the historically Jewish district. Volfson said the recent destruction makes the future of the business uncertain.

Montreal police have assigned both their arson and hate crimes units to the case. While officials stated there is no evidence yet confirming antisemitism as the motive, the bakery’s connection to the local Jewish community prompted the expanded investigation. The shop has faced previous incidents. In September, a masked man entered and shouted that all the Jews would burn before fleeing. Volfson also noted that passersby have shouted offensive remarks, particularly around the date of October 7. The owners remained vigilant during the Jewish High Holidays in the weeks prior to the fires.

The attacks occur against a backdrop of rising tensions in Quebec. B’nai Brith’s 2026 Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents reported that the number of incidents nearly tripled compared to 2025. A separate kosher restaurant in Montreal was destroyed by a suspected arson fire in August. Paola Samuel, the regional director for B’nai Brith Canada in Quebec and Atlantic Canada, posted on social media urging law enforcement to consider hate motives when Jewish homes or businesses are targeted. She argued that the rising trend means such a motive cannot be excluded. Volfson said she is struggling to understand why a business with little competition was chosen for these attacks.