IF found guilty, Chadi Jomaa should be considered the world's stupidest arsonist.

Police will allege in court that a man caught on CCTV skulking around the front of a Wentworthville shop moments before it spectacularly exploded on Tuesday morning was the shop's owner, Mr Jomaa, a person eight people risked their lives to save.

The 36-year-old, who broke both his legs, injured his pelvis and neck, and received burns to his face in the explosion, was refused bail at a bedside hearing at Royal North Shore Hospital yesterday.

The Pendle Hill man is accused of causing the explosion that devastated his Jomaa Market shop and a flat above - the blast blowing the resident out of the building and onto the footpath.

Police will allege Mr Jomaa bought 10 litres of petrol in a red plastic jerry can from the BP Service Station across the road from his shop at 4.10pm on Monday.

CCTV footage seized from the neighbouring Wentworthville Hotel shows a man carrying a jerry can of petrol into the building then walking around the corner as a police car passes by.

Soon after, the building explodes and collapses, and police and firefighters heroically run in to drag Mr Jomaa free from rubble and the flames. Specialist forensic sniffer dogs later allegedly detected the remnants of petrol in the smouldering rubble on Station St.

Syris Persia, who was asleep upstairs when the building exploded, remained in Westmead Hospital with back injures yesterday. The CCTV footage shows him climbing out of the smoke and rubble to sit, stunned, on the footpath. Eight police officers were treated for treatment for burns and smoke inhalation, while another officer was treated for severe smoke inhalation.

All were later discharged.

Police Association president Scott Weber said the officers, who repeatedly went into the fire only to be turned back by searing flames, were true heroes.

"These are true police heroes, we are proud of them," Mr Weber said.

"The police officers will say they are just doing their job but they went beyond their job and they saved lives.

"It's fantastic footage.

"When they heard the screams of a victim trapped they totally disregarded their own safety and went for the safety of those people trapped. That's what makes these police officers someone that we are all proud of.

"They put themselves in harm's way, we run into situations when everyone else runs out and I'm just glad no police officers were seriously injured."

Mr Jomaa has been charged with destroying property with intent to endanger life and remanded in custody to appear in Central Local Court on October 17.

IN PICTURES: SEE THE DRAMATIC SCENE UNFOLD:

media_camera A man stands at the front door of a Wentworthville Shop before it burst into flames. Picture: Channel Nine

media_camera The man walks to the side of the store. Picture: Channel Nine.

media_camera The shop burst into flames, smashing down a wall, where a man crawls from the rubble. Picture: Channel Nine

media_camera The man escapes the rubble. Picture: Channel Nine.

media_camera A man is trapped under rubble after the shop in Wentworthville burst into flames. Picture: Channel Nine

media_camera An attempt is made to drag the man from the rubble. Picture: Channel Nine

media_camera Emergency services make another attempt to get the man out. Picture: Channel Nine.

media_camera Emergency services fight to rescue the man from the burning building. Picture: Channel Nine.

media_camera Firefighters on Tuesday night fighting the flames at the shop where police officers were injured trying to rescue injured civilians from the rubble. Picture: Bill Hearne