A man is fighting for his life after suffering severe burns in a suspicious fire at a tobacco shop in Melton, north-west of Melbourne.
The unidentified man was found near The Boss tobacco store after emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.53am on Thursday.
Fire Rescue Victoria crews arrived within four minutes to find the premises fully alight. The man was taken into the care of Ambulance Victoria before being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.
There was nobody else inside the building when firefighters arrived, authorities said.
Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the flames as they threatened neighbouring businesses sharing the same roof space. The fire was declared under control at 3.12am, although firefighters remained at the scene to extinguish hot spots.
Victoria Police are treating the blaze as suspicious, with detectives investigating at the scene. Parts of Melton’s High Street were cordoned off while inquiries continued.
“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated,” a police spokesperson said.
