Fresno man starts fire in Tower District apartment

A man who is suspected of trying to start a fire at an apartment in the Tower District was detained by police Thursday morning.

The incident took place at the Nelson apartment building in the 1500 block of North Van Ness Avenue. A police spokesman said the man set fire to books and other items in his apartment. Firefighters arrived before serious damage could take place.

The man will be evaluated for mental health issues, and arson investigators were called in. Van Ness was blocked between Home and McKinley avenues during the incident, which occurred about 9 a.m.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Fresno man starts fire in Tower District apartment."