Would-Be Arsonist Torches Apartment Door With Gas-soaked Rug

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Boston Police wagon for District E-13 (Jamaica Plain) on Green Street Friday, April 18, 2014

Chris Helms

Boston Police wagon for District E-13 (Jamaica Plain) on Green Street Friday, April 18, 2014

A man lit a gas-soaked rug on fire outside the door of a woman who had refused to open it.

The incident took place Tuesday afternoon at 3091 Washington St. in Egleston Square, according to a police report. No one was injured.

Police were called about 3:33 p.m. to a third-floor apartment at that address. There were burn marks on the door and damage to the peep hole. The rug had already been taken out of the building and put in a Dumpster, but the hallway still smelled strongly of gasoline, the report said.

The suspect, described by the would-be victim as a light-skinned Hispanic man, 5-5, with light brown braids, grey shorts and a light-colored short sleeve shirt, had been banging on the apartment door from 11 a.m. to 2:15 before the incident. The victim did not call 911, police said.

Fire officials took the trash bag with the burned rug as evidence. An assistant property manager said the building had surveillance cameras that might aid in the investigation.

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