Street performer in stable condition after catching alight in Melbourne

A street performer with eleven years' experience is in a serious condition after catching on fire during a performance in Melbourne’s Southbank today.

Witnesses said around twenty people rushed to help the woman, aged in her 20s, after flames erupted during an audition for a busking permit in front of council members near Queensbridge Square.

Southbank worker Jack Jopling, 23, was sitting down having lunch with friends when the female busker's stunt went horribly wrong.

"She was effectively balancing candles on her body and I think one fell over and caught on her clothing," he said.

The performer suddenly began screaming and rolling on the ground.

"Most people thought it was just part of the trick, they couldn't quite believe it," Mr Jopling said.

A nearby worker on a job site, Anthony Giordao, told 9NEWS he rushed over to help with his 20L bucket of water.

“The poor girl’s leg just went up in flames, and at the same time I was cleaning tools with a bucket of water,” he said.

“Everyone reacted straight away – bottles of water, coke cans, a gentleman even used his nice suit jacket to put her out.”

Sky News Australia reporter Ahron Young witnessed the incident from inside his office, and said around 20 people rushed over to assist.

“We were sitting upstairs in our office and I heard screaming,” he said.

“We saw a woman on fire and all of these canisters on fire around her. People were rushing over and dousing her with water bottles.”

Mr Young said the woman “collapsed onto the ground” and was assisted by people around her.

“She seemed to be in extreme pain.”

Police and paramedics arrived and treated the woman at the scene before she was taken to the Alfred Hospital.

She suffered serious burns to her back and leg.