A woman reportedly ran into the street naked after a fire broke out inside a tanning salon on Wood Green High Road, forcing customers and staff to flee the premises.
The blaze began at Ania’s Tanning and Beauty shortly after 2:50pm on Wednesday, with dramatic footage showing thick black smoke billowing from the building. Firefighters worked into the early hours to extinguish the flames, while police cordoned off the area near the junction with Bounds Green Road.
Three people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews.
‘Explosion’ inside sunbed booth
Salon owner Ragu Nad said the incident began when a bus driver, a regular customer, heard a crackling noise inside his sunbed booth. Sensing a fault, he exited and began getting dressed when smoke started to pour out, followed by an explosion.
“The man managed to warn staff, who ran out along with another lady who didn’t have time to get dressed,” Mr Nad told reporters. “She was naked but had to run out like that – staff tried to cover her once she was outside.”
Fire investigators later confirmed the blaze was accidental, caused by a failed cooling fan inside a sunbed.
Extensive damage
The interior of the salon was gutted, with melted sunbeds and charred equipment removed and placed on the street. Mr Nad, who has run the business for 20 years, said replacing a single sunbed can cost up to £20,000, and he expects the shop to be closed for weeks.
“My main concern now is keeping my five staff employed,” he said. “Thankfully, the quick thinking of the bus driver may have saved lives.”
A nearby pub worker described the scene as “utter carnage”, with acrid smoke filling the street.
London Fire Brigade said: “Most of the ground floor salon was damaged by fire. The cause is believed to have been accidental.”
