New South Wales police say they have arrested a man for an apparent attack on a Sydney police station, after he set himself alight and drove a car into its underground carpark.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Denis Clifford said police spotted the man, believed to be in his 60s, parked in the driveway of the Merrylands Police Station about 7pm on Thursday.

“As police approached the vehicle, the interior of the vehicle ignited,” Mr Clifford told reporters.

Media reported that the man’s car contained gas canisters while Mr Clifford said there appeared to have been some kind of fire accelerant in it.

Mr Clifford also said police had no reason to believe it was a terrorist attack or that the man was connected to any terrorist organisation.

“Until we do some background investigation, we’re just uncertain about the motive,” Mr Clifford said.

“There’s nothing to indicate this is in any way related to terrorism.”

Australia has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown militants since 2014, having suffered several “lone wolf” assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney in which two hostages and the gunman were killed.

It’s understood that the man tried to drive into the front of the police station before driving it into a roller door under the station. Mr Clifford said police then put out the fire, and the man was taken to hospital with severe burns.

Police earlier cordoned off the station in Merrylands, in Sydney’s west, while officers from the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit searched the vehicle.

No members of the public or police officers were injured during the incident, police said.

– with other agencies