A tradesman has been hailed a hero after risking his life to stop a man from potentially blowing up a petrol station.

The customer, of Africa appearance, is captured on CCTV footage entering a St Albans service station in Melbourne at 5pm last Wednesday and allegedly attempting to light the petrol in the bowser with a cigarette lighter.

The man is seen pulling the fuel pump towards him and allegedly attempting to ignite a fire, Seven news reported. But when this fails, he angrily drops the pump in frustration before moving onto a second bowser.

A man was caught on CCTV footage allegedly attempting to blow up a petrol station in Melbourne

The tradesman then spots the man and runs towards the fire extinguisher attached to the bowser, pulling it off.

The good Samaritan then points the extinguisher at the customer and douses him with the fire retardant foam, causing him to thrown the hose down and back off.

'It looked like he was trying to burn the place down,' the tradesman told 7 News.

'If he had have lit the petrol, I imagine most of us probably would have died or have been severely injured.'

A tradesman spotted the man during his second attempt of allegedly trying to ignite a fire with a cigarette lighter

After the tradesman recognised the customer continuing to lurk near the petrol station, he once again doused him with fire retardant foam.

After the incident the tradesman said he attempted to report the man to three different police stations but their response was inadequate.

'And I just don't think the response I got from that particular officer - not against the station or the force in general - that particular officer, wasn't adequate,' he said.

The incident is not being investigated by police as there was no injury nor damage to property.

The tradesman rushed towards the man after grabbing a fire extinguisher and doused him with fire retardant foam