Man sets alight, knifes woman

MELBOURNE - A woman has died after suffering knife wounds and burns to her entire body in a frenzied attack at a Melbourne petrol station.

After she was set alight and stabbed, her alleged attacker told frantic bystanders to "let her burn".

The attacker, believed to be the woman's partner, then fled to a nearby church where he was arrested after a tense two hour standoff with heavily armed police.

Attempts were initially made to subdue him with capsicum spray and a high-powered gun filled with small beanbags.

The man, aged in his early 40s, finally surrendered when he put down his knife and was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The woman, also in her early 40s, was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in a critical condition with burns to almost 100 per cent of her body, as well as stab wounds. She later died.

Witnesses told of their horror at seeing the woman burning alive at the Safeway service station on Mountain Highway at Bayswater.

Truck driver Beau Fleming said he ran to help the woman with his fire extinguisher as black smoke billowed from the scene.

Fleming said the woman's attacker threatened a group of about 10 people to keep away. "(He was) telling her to burn," he said.

- AAP