Man tried to light ‘small child’ on fire at Hayward Denny’s, police say

A man tried to light a number of patrons inside a Hayward Denny’s on fire, police said Thursday. A man tried to light a number of patrons inside a Hayward Denny’s on fire, police said Thursday. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Man tried to light ‘small child’ on fire at Hayward Denny’s, police say 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A 43-year-old man eating breakfast at a Denny’s restaurant in Hayward suddenly doused other customers with a flammable liquid and tried to light them on fire, police said Thursday.

The man was eating at the Denny’s at 30163 Industrial Parkway in Hayward just before 10 a.m. Wednesday when he got up and took out a container, police said. He was not identified pending charges by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office,

Inside was a flammable liquid — police did not specify the liquid — with which authorities said he sprayed nearby patrons, including a “small child.”

The man then covered the floor in the liquid and tried to set it ablaze with a lighter, but a group of patrons and employees stopped him, police said. He was then arrested.

No injuries were reported in the bizarre incident, and police said they were asking prosecutors to charge the man with attempted arson and attempted murder.

Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mbodley@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @michael_bodley