Howard County police have charged a man from Savage with deliberately setting fire to his apartment last month, authorities said yesterday.

Lawrence William Baxley, 53, of the 8900 block of River Island Drive was arrested Wednesday and charged with first- and second-degree arson, malicious burning in the first degree and arson with intent to defraud, police said.

Police accuse Baxley of deliberately putting a halogen lamp near clothing, which caught fire. No one was injured in the June 24 blaze, which caused nearly $80,000 in damage, according to investigators.

Baxley was being held yesterday at the Howard County Detention Center on $5,000 bond.