Man allegedy sets fire to San Francisco apartment, attacks emergency responders

A San Francisco man faces a litany of charges after police said he set fire to his apartment building unit, and attacked emergency responders who attempted to rescue him.

On Tuesday at around 1:30 a.m., the San Francisco Police Department said an officer on patrol saw a fire at an apartment building on Mason Street between Ellis and Eddy streets in the city's Theater District near Union Square. The officer told a man on a balcony of the building that there was a fire and ordered him to come down, but the man refused, police said.

Additional officers and the San Francisco Fire Department responded to the scene, but when firefighters attempted to climb up to the fire escape to help the man down, the man assaulted one of them, police said. As authorities worked to extinguish the fire and evacuate other residents, police and firefighters once again ordered the man to exit the building, but according to police, he would not. Instead, police said the man continued to assault firefighters and police officers.

The man, later identified as 34-year-old Robert Bell of San Francisco, was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Bell's dog was taken to an animal hospital, and the city's Animal Care and Control was notified.

Bell was taken into custody and transported to county jail. His charges include willfully burning an inhabited structure, possession of an incendiary device, animal abuse and cruelty, battery on a peace officer and firefighters, resisting an executive officer, three counts of battery on a peace officer and firefighters, willfully resisting or delaying or obstructing a peace officer, disobeying the lawful orders of any fireman, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia.

Police asked anyone with information about the case to contact the department at 415-575-4444.