Causeway Bay salon prank under investigation following flame-jet incident

A video posted by a hair salon in Causeway Bay has sparked concern after showing a staff member igniting hairspray during a workplace prank, triggering a sudden burst of flame that resembled a “flamethrower” and set fire to a barber mannequin head.

The 30-second clip, filmed at a Japanese-style salon on Pennington Street, shows a hairstylist attempting to prank a colleague by igniting aerosol hairspray. The flame intensified on contact, igniting a nearby practice mannequin head and prompting staff to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.

Captioned “setting the shop on fire at work,” the video was later removed from social media but had already circulated widely online. It drew criticism from netizens, many of whom described the act as reckless and dangerous, particularly as customers were reportedly present at the time. Some users also reported the incident to authorities.

The salon owner later said in the video that they were unaware of the seriousness of the act, adding that the situation could have led to a major fire. An apology was issued to customers and staff, with the owner admitting they “never expected it to escalate this far” and promising it would not happen again.

The Fire Services Department said it received a complaint on April 16 regarding suspected over-storage of dangerous goods and fire safety issues at the premises, and conducted an inspection on April 17.

No excessive storage of dangerous goods was found. Fire alarm systems and hydrant/hose reel systems were confirmed to be operating normally after functional tests.

However, officers found a fire detector obstructed by objects and a fire extinguisher without a valid annual inspection certificate. A Fire Hazard Abatement Notice was issued, and enforcement action is being considered over the missing certification.

The case has been referred to police for further investigation.