Florence police say a man assaulted his mother with a hammer Monday night just before barricading himself inside an apartment that he then set on fire.

Sgt. Ryan Kelly said the incident began about 8:30 p.m. when police responded to an apartment complex in the 1900 block of Darby Drive on a domestic violence call.

Malcolm D. Allen, 39, had reportedly assaulted his mother with a hammer. The woman escaped when officers arrived and was transported to North Alabama Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries.

Immediately after, Kelly said Allen barricaded himself in the apartment and refused to speak to officers. While attempting to communicate with him, the officers heard a smoke detector and noticed smoke and flames inside the apartment.

Residents of the surrounding apartments were evacuated, and officers were able to pull Allen to safety through a window.

Florence firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, limiting most of the damage to Allen’s apartment.

Allen was arrested for first degree arson and second degree domestic violence. He is currently being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center without bond.