MIAMI LAKES, Fla. -- Investigators said they believe arson is to blame for a fire that broke out early Wednesday at the law offices of Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi.

The fire was reported at about 1 a.m. Miami-Dade firefighters worked for about 20 minutes to put out the blaze, which officials said did not spread to any other offices.

The door of the office was smashed open, and fire officials said someone poured a trail of flammable liquid -- probably gasoline -- throughout Pizzi's office.

Fire officials said an arson investigator, with the help of a dog trained in detecting accelerants, determined that the fire was intentionally set.

No one was inside the offices at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Pizzi put up a good front but was clearly shaken by the fire that destroyed his office.

"I'm not going to run and hide. I'm going to continue carrying out my duties," Pizzi said.

Pizzi said he was at the office until about 9 or 10 p.m. and planned to return later to do more work. He fell asleep, he said, or he might have been at the office when the fire broke out.

Whoever set the fire made sure no one would be injured but clearly wanted to hurt Pizzi, a tough-talking lawyer with a history of taking on powerful opponents. He supported a petition drive to oust County Commissioner Natacha Seijas and has been an outspoken advocate for not moving the urban development boundary.

"When you go into public life, sometimes you become a target and sometimes it gets ugly, but you never expect it to go to this extent," Pizzi said. "You never expect the targeting of public officials to go to this extent."

Reporters asked Pizzi if he knew who might be behind the fire and why.

"I would just say there's been ongoing expressions of hostility, some issues in the political realm," Pizzi said.

Miami-Dade police said the fire caused $100,000 in damages.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).