Perth man charged over gas incident

A 45-year-old Perth man has been charged with endangering the lives of people in a block of units after releasing gas in a stairwell and threatening to set it alight.

Police say the man opened a gas canister and sprayed the gas around the bottom of the stairwell of the Burswood units on Monday.

It is also alleged he held a lighter in his hand and threatened to set the gas alight.

Residents barricaded themselves upstairs inside the complex before the man fled.

Two people were later taken to hospital as a precaution after feeling unwell.

The man was arrested on Tuesday and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.