A teenager is fighting for his life in hospital after being doused in petrol and set alight on the Gold Coast.



The victim, 18, was found in his car at Southport on Sunday morning with burns to “a substantial amount of his body”, police said.



He was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s hospital and placed in an induced coma.

Paramedic Grant Gamble said the man alerted people in a nearby house, who called emergency services for help. They cooled the victim down until help arrived.

“He’s got significant burns to his face, neck, shoulders and back, which were of great concern to us of course,” Gamble said.

Police are appealing for witnesses who might have seen the victim’s car, a Toyota Camry with the New South Wales plates BM52VZ, on Baratta Street in Southport about 7.45am to come forward.



The case is not thought to be related to the schoolies week celebrations taking place in nearby Surfers Paradise, a police spokeswoman said.