A 47-year-old man has been arrested in Gran Canaria after allegedly setting fire to a tent while another person was still inside, leaving the victim with serious burns. The suspect has also been accused of assaulting a police officer after allegedly turning violent while officers tried to arrest him.

The incident happened on the morning of 16th May in Las Palmas, after emergency services received reports of a fight between two men living in tents on a public street. When police arrived, firefighters were already tackling a blaze as thick smoke spread across the area.

According to investigators, the two men knew each other and had argued the night before. The victim told officers the suspect had threatened to burn down his tent before returning later with a lighter and allegedly setting it on fire while he was still inside.

Police say the victim tried to escape the flames but was allegedly kicked by the attacker, causing him to fall back into the burning structure. A witness helped pull him to safety before emergency crews arrived.

The victim suffered second-degree burns to several parts of his body and was taken to hospital for treatment. His current condition has not been confirmed.

After gathering a description of the suspect, officers launched a search operation and found him shortly afterwards. Police say the man attempted to flee and reacted aggressively towards officers during the arrest, injuring one of them.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and assaulting a police officer. Following questioning, he was brought before a judge and remanded in custody pending further investigation.