Dearborn Man Charged After Trying To Burn Down Wayne Co. Massage Parlor, Injuring 2: Cops

DEARBORN, MI — A Dearborn man has been charged in connection with a Wayne County fire that injured two people last Monday, according to police.

Ali Al-Shimary, 34, was charged with two counts each of first-degree arson, assault with intent to murder, unlawful imprisonment and assault to do great bodily harm. He was placed in the Wayne County Jail with a bond set at $500,000. His next court hearing is scheduled for April 21.

He faces up to life in prison for the arson and attempted murder charges. Unlawful imprisonment carries a 15-year maximum sentence while assault to do great bodily harm is punishable by up to 10 years behind bars.

The fire broke out at 11:30 p.m. on April 7 at the Accura Care Massage and Spa, located in the 6500 block of Middlebelt Road in Garden City, police said.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, they saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the front of the business, police said.

A woman stumbled out of the burning building, suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, and told firefighters that another person was still inside, police said.

Firefighters rescued the person and both victims were taken to a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation treatment, police said.

Police said firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to the surrounding structures and eventually put it out. The blaze caused significant damage to the business, while nearby businesses sustained smoke damage, police said.

Investigators determined multiple areas of the massage parlor were intentionally set on fire.

One of the victims told Garden City Police Lt. Micah Hull that Al-Shimary walked into the spa drunk and made an "unreasonable request," which was denied by the staff during the session, according to a Fox 2 Detroit report.

Al-Shimary then became irate, broke items in the business and locked the victims in a laundry room before taking $50 and lighting the spa on fire, according to the report.