Norwood Fire Chief Thomas Barry Declares Simoni Flowers Fire Arson Based on New Evidence-August 8, 1990

Tripped Burglar Alarm, Multiple Pours, and Videotape Footage Lead Fire Officials to Dispute State Arson Specialist’s Inconclusive Findings

Following a meticulous review of new physical evidence and video footage from last month’s massive blaze, Norwood officials are convinced that the fire which destroyed Simoni Flowers was an act of arson.

Norwood Fire Chief Thomas Barry announced yesterday that newly uncovered details strongly back up his initial suspicions of foul play, directly contradicting a conclusion by state arson specialist State Trooper Michael Cherven, who previously stated that extensive storage of gasoline and flammable chemicals made it impossible to conclusively determine the fire’s origin. The July 13 fire ravaged the wholesale florist’s administrative offices housed in an old brick-and-wooden building known as “the barn” behind Route 1 on Neponset Street, while also heavily damaging attached greenhouses.

Chief Barry pointed to several critical pieces of evidence discovered last weekend after the structure was demolished, including charred traces of “multiple pours” indicating the use of an accelerant in four distinct locations. Furthermore, Barry revealed that a firefighter’s videotape captured a burning liquid leaking between floors, and noted that a burglar alarm was tripped minutes before the fire was discovered.

The alarm signaled the Neponset Street homes of Brian Simoni and his father, Albert Simoni, prompting Brian to pull a street alarm and Albert to contact police. “Electrical fires don’t set off burglar alarms,” Barry asserted. While Trooper Cherven acknowledged the fire was suspicious—noting he must remain cautious before labeling a case arson without absolute proof—he welcomed the chance to review the new findings with Barry.

The devastating fire left the Simoni family facing severe business hardships just four months ahead of the winter heating season, with greenhouse heating systems destroyed and insurance carriers reportedly disputing between $50,000 and $75,000 in claims.

Town sources noted that the family has maintained extreme privacy following the unsolved December 7 murder of Susan Simoni, the 37-year-old medical secretary and wife of Brian Simoni, whose tragic shooting in the Mall at Walpole parking lot remains under active investigation without arrests. Meanwhile, Chief Barry confirmed that local detectives and firefighters will continue their arson probe, though no suspects have been identified.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger