‘My heart’s been ripped out,’ widow of arson victim says
Posted August 7, 2012 1:36 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The widow of a 21-year-old man who died in a fire early Saturday morning says he called her one last time when he realized he was trapped in the building.
“He called me screaming, ‘Fire! It’s on fire! I love you. You mean everything to me. Don’t forget me. I’ll never forget you. I love you. I love you.’ And that was it,” said Alicia Anbari.
Alicia rushed to the 7-Eleven on Main Street to try to save her husband, but police wouldn’t let her risk her life.
“I remember just standing there watching it and crying and crying and crying,” she said. “I didn’t think I had that many tears in my body.”
Police said two vehicles loaded with gasoline had been parked in front of the store — where Samir Anbari was working on renovations — and set on fire.
On Sunday, investigators found Anbari’s body among the rubble.
Sami Karnaz, 30, of Mississauga was arrested and originally charged with arson and disregard for human life. But those charges have been upgraded to second-degree murder.
Detectives don’t believe the accused and the victim knew each other and say it appears it was the business that was targeted.
They expect to make more arrests.
Anbari emigrated from Morocco eight months ago to be with Alicia, and the couple celebrated their second anniversary last month.
Alicia plans to take legal action since Anbari was hired to be a clerk, not to do construction work.
“My heart’s been ripped out and shattered,” Alicia said. “I don’t think I’ll ever recover.”
Karnaz will appear in court on Wednesday.
With files from Saphia Khambalia
