Quick thinking saves Kirkcaldy hair salon in festive blaze

Dom Panetta, owner of Migele Experience in Whytescauseway, said it was only the quick actions of people in the neighbouring premises who smelled carbon monoxide and alerted the fire service, which saved the whole premises from going up in smoke.

Their quick thinking meant that the fire was mainly contained to the kitchen area, although there has been smoke damage to the rest of the premises. And because the fire also melted cables there was also no heating or hot water.

“I was on holiday in Spain when the fire broke out early on Christmas morning,” he told the Press.

“The fire service couldn’t get hold of me or my salon manager, so they had to break glass in the front door to get in,” he explained.

“Luckily because of the alarm being raised early and the fire door between the kitchen and the rest of the building, the damage was mainly to the kitchen.

“They think it started at the coffee machine, which was switched off at the time, but the main thing is that nobody was hurt.”

Dom said he had hoped to be open again by tomorrow (Friday), but the clean up was taking longer than expected.

However his friend Ronnie Marshall of Byron Hairdressing has offered Migele Experience the use of his premises in Alexandra Street on Friday and Saturday to cater for clients who had appointments made between Christmas and New Year.

“Ronnie has very generously offered me the use of his salon for the two days as he is not reopening until Monday, which is great and means we will be able to carry out all our appointments then and, all being well to reopen the shop on Monday,” explained Dom.

“People have been very understanding as it was completely outwith our control.

“We’ll have to redecorate, but it could have been an awful lot worse.”