03.25.2023 | 7:37 PM | SANTA ANA – An irate man lit a fire inside a hotel room and barricaded himself inside prompting first responders to force entry, Saturday night.
The incident occurred at the La Quinta Inn & Suites, located in the 2700 block of South Hotel Terrace, around 7:37 PM.
Units responding to the scene were alerted to smoke seeping out of a third-floor room along with an alarm activation inside.
Crews attempted to contact the occupant who was irate and uncooperative before forcing entry into the room after a key-card supplied by hotel staff failed to unlock the door.
Items stacked in front of the hotel room door prompted authorities to enter the room through a nearby window and remove the man inside.
Firefighters discovered debris inside a bathtub in the room that had been set on fire but were ultimately extinguished.
Medics transported the man to an area hospital along with police for medical clearance before being placed under arrest.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
