It was a while after midnight, the night before Thursday, that the police were called out to a restaurant in Gällivare.
A man who had been turned away from the restaurant was said to have later returned, poured fuel and tried to light the fire, but was unsuccessful. He is said to have then left the scene.
The man is brought in for questioning and later arrested on suspicion of attempted arson.
No one was injured in connection with the incident.