Downtown Winnipeg restaurant and bar La Roca says it was targeted in attempted arson

ManitobaAn early morning fire damaged a downtown Winnipeg business on Friday.Crews were called around 6 a.m. for fire on exterior patioCBC News · Posted: Nov 14, 2025 9:46 AM EST | Last Updated: 12 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A broken front window of La Roca restaurant and bar is seen on Friday. (Felisha Adam/CBC)Crews were called to yet another fire at a business in Winnipeg’s downtown area on Friday.Firefighters rushed to La Roca restaurant and bar, at Smith Street and York Avenue, just before 6 a.m.They found smoke and flames on the exterior and worked to keep the fire from getting inside, a news release from the city said.Part of Smith, between York and St. Mary Avenue, was blocked by police as fire crews put out the flames.It was declared extinguished by 6:40 a.m.No information on the cause of the fire or amount of damage has been made available.Crews responded to a fire at La Roca restaurant early Friday morning. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC)No injuries were reported, the city’s news release said.A statement posted on the La Roca Instagram page later in the morning said it was an attempted arson on the patio, and the venue itself is unharmed.A few windows were smashed, but they’ll be boarded up, the statement said. The business will be fully open this weekend with all events going ahead as planned.The statement applauded the fire crews for a quick response and preventing things from being much worse.The post also claimed the person responsible “has a history of returning to finish the job at places he didn’t succeed the first time.””The underlying issue remains and there is still a significant risk that the offender may attempt to return.”The city has experienced a string of cases of alleged arson and extortion at restaurants as well as other businesses this summer and fall.”This ongoing vandalism is becoming genuinely dangerous,” La Roca’s post said.”The city needs to do something. Small businesses are being left behind, business owners are feeling neglected, when will this end.”Despite the post suggesting the same individual behind the fire at La Roca may be responsible for others, the message asks for “any information that helps identify whoever is responsible” and offers a cash reward.