STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The homeless man accused of starting a raging fire in St. George tried to put out the flames by pouring his beer and urinating on the blaze, according to a law enforcement source.

Hector Meza, 40, was arrested by fire marshals and charged with fourth-degree arson, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass, stemming from the June 6 incident, the FDNY said in post on social media.

Hector Meza, 40, is shown in a photo posted by the FDNY on social media.

Meza allegedly allowed a candle to burn carelessly, igniting combustibles in an alcove in the rear of one of the buildings on Stuyvesant Place, and left the scene without alerting anyone to the fire or calling 911, the FDNY post said.

Meza is homeless, according to an NYPD spokesman.

The defendant was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday, but it was postponed because he is in the hospital, sources said.

The three-alarm blaze engulfed three stores, including the Dunkin' Donuts and St. George Pharmacy.

The floors, ceiling, windows and roof of the coffee shop and the pharmacy were destroyed.

Al Gentile, owner of the St. George Pharmacy, previously told the Advance the fire started on the back porch. He and five customers were in the store at the time and were able to get out unharmed.

"It filled up with smoke in a minute," he said.

Gentile says he's had issues with the homeless people who hang out on the porch behind his store, and the city has not helped with the situation.

"Their rights seem to be more important than tax-paying business owners," he said.

In 2010, Meza was busted for assaulting two police officers at the Staten Island Ferry terminal, according to Advance records.

Meza, then 31, had been sleeping on the floor when he allegedly attacked the cops when they tried to escort him from the terminal.

One officer suffered facial scrapes and the other cop had a sprained index finger, Advance records show.

Meza was charged with second-degree assault, but pleaded to resisting arrest and was sentenced to six months' jail time.