Arson investigators probe 3d fire at hair salon

(George Rizer/Globe Staff)

By Andrew Ryan and Keith O'Brien, Globe Staff

Arson investigators this morning are combing through the charred wreckage of Maria's Hair Fashion in Jamaica Plain after an overnight blaze, the third fire since 2006 to destroy a salon run by the proprietor.

This is the second time that Maria's South Street location has burned. It was also doused with gasoline and set alight in March 2006 by an arsonist who has not been caught. Maria's Hyde Park location in Logan Square was destroyed by fire in January 2008. It was not immediately clear whether that blaze was caused by arson.

The fire department has released few details this morning about the overnight fire, which gutted the Maria's in Jamaica Plain and inflicted minor damage to the adjoining businesses. The newly built sign for Maria's Hair Fashion was destroyed by the flames and the windows were shattered and burned.

State Police investigators and the Boston Arson Investigation Unit were on scene sifting through the wreckage.

Paul Joseph, Maria Joseph's husband, walked through the charred entrance of the salon this morning and stepped through a pool of black water inside the business. "This is just sad. I don't know why anyone would want to do something like this,'' he said. "I think it takes a sick person.''

Joseph said he doesn't know if the same person or persons are responsible for all three blazes, and said he and his wife, Maria, don't have any enemies they know of. "We're just small business owners trying to realize the American Dream,'' he said.

Steve MacDonald, a fire department spokesman, said the blaze started at 4 p.m. and caused about $40,000 in damage, mostly to the front portion of the salon.

He said the fire appears to have started at the entrance. MacDonald declined to characterize the fire as suspicious, noting that investigators are still at work. "Of course, we are aware of the history,'' he said, referring to the two previous blazes.

In Logan Square, Maria's Hair Fashion 2 burned on Jan. 5, 2008. The fire ripped through a three-story brick building at 3:40 a.m., severely damaging seven businesses and leaving 20 people homeless. At the time, fire investigators were trying to determine whether there was any connection to the first fire at Maria's Hair Fashion in Jamaica Plain.

That blaze, on March 24, 2006, occurred during a series of arson fires in Jamaica Plain. Investigators determined that a wall at Maria's was covered with gasoline and ignited. The flames tore through three other stores.

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