A Chinese pop star suffered severe burns to 80 per cent of her body after accidentally setting herself on fire with a lighter following an argument.

Tang Anqi, a member of the all-female girl group SNH48, was with a friend at the Shanghai Boashan Wanda café when the incident happened, reports the People’s Daily Online.

At around 8pm on March 1, Tang rushed down the stairs of the café screaming and engulfed in flames. She is currently in intensive care and the case in under investigation.

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Up in flames: Within a matter of seconds Tang's whole body was on fire at around 8pm in Shanghai, China

Terrifying: Chinese pop star Tang Anqi reportedly set herself on fire in a café in Shanghai after an argument

The manager at the café said Tang, 23, and a friend walked in for some food at around 7pm.

They sat down at a table on the second floor, at the time Tang was said to be in a very bad mood and very rude to the staff.

Speaking to reporters, the manager said a staff member took a round chocolate cake to the table.

When the star saw the cake, she told him that it was really ugly.

Tang’s friend, who has not been identified, reportedly explained to the staff member that Tang wasn’t in the best mood.

The manager added: ‘She [Tang] was quite aggressive and in a bad mood.’

Not long after this, she ran down the stairs covered in flames and screaming for help.

Charred: The stairs in the café after the incident which saw pop star Tang Anqi accidentally set herself on fire

Accident: The café in Shanghai where Tang allegedly set herself on fire using a lighter at 8pm on March 1

Witnesses outside the café posted pictures of Tang on fire. In the images she is covered in orange flames from head to toe.

According to the report, because Tang was sitting in a corner table, she was in a blind spot.

It was not captured by the security cameras, so it is hard to know how she ended up on fire.

The manager said she was wearing tights or stockings which were extremely flammable, so the fire spread rapidly. He tried to help her and called the emergency services for help.

The Shanghai Baoshan authorities confirmed they were called to an incident where a woman had been set on fire after a dispute with a companion.

There was a lighter involved and somehow she accidentally ignited her own clothes.

After the news of Tang’s accident broke on Chinese media, the hospital in Shanghai where she is being treated confirmed she is in a critical condition.

Icon: Tang joined Chinese pop group SNH48 with two other female students in 2012 making her famous

Girl power: Tang is a member of the Chinese all girl group SNH48 known for their energetic dancing on stage

However, a doctor at the hospital has confirmed that the star has woken up.

Around 80 per cent of her body is covered with burns and she is currently not out of danger.

This morning SNH48 released a statement on their official Weibo account, China's equivalent of Twitter, that said: ‘After an unfortunate event when Tang Anqi was out with friends, she accidentally set herself on fire leading to severe burns.

‘She has been receiving treatment at the hospital.’

The café she was eating in also released a statement on their social media page to explain what happened: ‘A girl set on fire when inside the café, it only took a few seconds for the flames to spread from her hair to her body. The staff and emergency services responded as quickly as they could.’

Pop stars: SNH48 the pop group Tang is a part of are well known female icons across China and Japan

Tang joined Chinese pop group SNH48 with two other female students in October 2012. They have since become huge female idols in China.

The group consists of dozens of young female artists. As well as singing and dancing, they perform in theatres and interact with fans predominantly via handshake events across China and Japan.

It is reported that the group were due to attend a number of upcoming events in Shanghai this month.