RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil: At least four people died on Monday in a fire at a homeless shelter in southeast Brazil caused by a suspected arsonist, authorities said.

Twenty-two people were sleeping at the shelter run by a religious order in the city of Sao Jose dos Campos in Sao Paulo state when the fire broke out around dawn. Eight people were taken to hospital with injuries, the regional security ministry said. Police detained a 42-year-old man on suspicion of starting the blaze.

“A witness saw the suspect setting a sofa on fire and then fleeing,” the ministry said in a statement, adding he would be charged with arson, murder and attempted murder. The alleged arsonist´s motives were unknown.