A man inadvertently set himself on fire in a bus shelter in St. Paul in an effort to fend off the cold, officials said Monday.

The small fire was reported to Metro Transit police and the St. Paul Fire Department about 3 p.m. Saturday at the southeast corner of Snelling and University avenues, transit spokesman Drew Kerr said.

The man was taken by emergency medical personnel to Regions Hospital with serious injuries, Kerr said. His identity has yet to be released.

"Police believe the fire was started intentionally for the purpose of staying warm," he said.

The temperature in St. Paul at that time was 22 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.