NSW Police have released graphic CCTV footage showing the moment a man's car erupted outside Merrylands police station on Thursday night.
At 7pm on Thursday Peter Zhurawel, 61, allegedly drove his car containing gas bottles into the driveway of the police station in Western Sydney before setting himself on fire.
NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the car crashed into a wall and then hit the door of the underground garage.
Police have ruled out the incident as terror related but confirmed the 61-year-old had a history of serious mental health issues.
Court documents reveal Zhurawel was due to appear at Fairfield local court on Friday morning over an apprehended violence order involving a relative.
The Bomb Disposal Unit found two gas cylinders in the car and police have raided the 61-year-old's home, taking a number of items for examination.
"We are following a line of enquiry that the motivation for what occurred last night may well be family-related, there is a matter before the court in relation to the person of interest and his family or another family member," NSW Assistant Police Commissioner Denis Clifford said on Friday.
"I do expect at some stage we will be putting some very serious matters before the court in relation to the behaviour of the person of interest last night."
On Friday morning, NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione praised the brave work of the police officers who rushed out to the car and extinguished the blaze before removing an open gas bottle and petrol from the Hyundai Getz.
Zhurawel suffered serious burns and remains hospitalised at Royal North Shore Hospital.