A California city councillor is in hospital after being doused in five gallons of petrol and set alight. 

Lee Volger, a councilman in Danville City, Virginia, suffered serious burns after he was attacked by a man at around 11.30am on Wednesday.

The man forced his way into the offices of Showcase Magazine, where he worked, and drenched Mr Volger in gasoline.

While trying to run away, Mr Volger was set on fire by the attacker, according to horrified onlookers and law enforcement.

Following the incident he was airlifted to a specialist burns hospital. The full extent of his injuries is not known.

Police identified the alleged attacker as Shotsie Hayes, 29, who was arrested as he fled the scene in a car.

“An individual forced his way into our office carrying a five gallon bucket of gasoline, and poured the gasoline on Lee. Lee attempted to flee,” Andrew Brooks, owner at Showcase Magazine said.

“The individual followed him and set him on fire. Lee identified his attacker as a man named Shotsie Hayes.

“This type of senseless act of violence has to stop. You do not have the right as a human being to get upset [at] someone enough to lash out and attempt to harm them in any way, much less this way.”

James Buckner, the vice-mayor of Danville, told ABC13: “Please keep our colleague and our brother in your prayers.”