Two men have been seriously injured in a suspicious tobacco store fire.

Just after midnight on Friday police and emergency services were called to a business on Forestglen Cres in Browns Plains, south of Brisbane, after reports the building was engulfed in flames.

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Two men were seen running from the back of the building, suffering from severe burns.

They told police that two other men entered the building and poured an accelerant inside before setting it on fire.

The 47-year-old and 54-year-old were taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

7NEWS understands the store has been targeted before and that the two men were acting as caretakers of the business, with their job to call police or firefighters if anything were to happen.

Nearby fish and chip shop owner Dan Tumataroa said he wasn’t sure if his shop would be able to open today due to smoke damage.

“It’s tough times, we’re struggling to keep our heads above water and then this comes along,” he said.

“I’ve got to wait to see if we can open our shop today, because we can’t afford to be closed.

“(The two men) are not your Arnold Schwarzenegger bodyguards, they’re just there to pick up the phone and say ‘hey, can you come down’ or ring the police or ring the fire brigade.

“They’re our neighbours, they’re our mates.”

Police are investigating the incident.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area around the time of the fire, or who may have any dashcam or CCTV footage, to come forward.