Man sought after trying to set fire in Costa Mesa apartment

Police and fire officials are looking for a man who tried to set fire to a vacant apartment in Costa Mesa on Tuesday evening.

Firefighters responded to the 500 block of Victoria Street around 6:30 p.m. after neighbors called for help, said Costa Mesa Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Vasin.

A man was trying to light carpeting on fire in an empty unit but wasn’t able to spark a flame, Vasin said.

“There was actually no fire,” he said. “Apparently he was in the process of attempting to light it and it never caught fire.”

The man fled on a bicycle, heading west on Victoria, according to authorities.

Vasin said the man is in his 40s. No further description was available.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck