Vic fire suspect was in financial strife

The man accused of causing an explosion at a Melbourne bank by setting himself alight was reportedly in financial trouble and had asked banks for money numerous times.

Paramedics treated 27 people after a man walked into a Commonwealth Bank branch in Springvale carrying a container of accelerant and set himself alight on Friday morning.

The 21-year-old suspect, named in media reports as Nur (or Noor) Islam, an asylum seeker from Myanmar, had recently become homeless and was staying with friends.

A roomate, Joseph, told the Herald Sun the man had tried to ask for money at banks numerous times.

It's reported the man's rage on Friday was sparked over a welfare payment.

A member of Myanmar's Rohingya community in Melbourne, Habib Habib, told reporters the man been struggling to financially help his family back home.

The suspect remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital under police guard.