NEWARK — A 35-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to burn down a popular Newark restaurant while employees were still inside early Sunday morning, fire official said.

Oscar Guzman, of Newark, was charged with aggravated arson after employees at Iberia Tavern & Restaurant on Ferry Street found him setting two small fires outside the building around 2:30 a.m., said Capt. John Brown, a Newark Fire Department spokesman.

An employee managed to subdue Guzman, and arson investigators arrested him a short time later.

Brown did not know how many employees were inside the building at the time, or if there were any customers inside when Guzman tried to set the blaze. Brown also said it was not clear why Guzman allegedly started the fires, or how.

He was also charged with risking widespread injury and simple assault, according to Brown, who said Guzman remains at the Essex County Correctional Facility.