A pensioner suffered serious burns when candles on a birthday cake set light to her clothes at a hairdressing salon.
The woman, who is believed to be in her 80s, was visiting John Hemingway Hair in Wallasey Village, Merseyside, when the fire broke out at 12.20pm today.
The flames were out by the time two crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene.
They are investigating the cause of the blaze but believe the candles from the birthday cake may have started the fire.
The woman and a man, who suffered burns while trying to put out the flames, were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital in Upton, Wirral, before being transferred to the burns unit at Whiston Hospital in Prescot, Merseyside.
Group manager Paul Murphy, district manager for the Wirral, said: "Firefighters administered first aid to the woman and requested an ambulance. Firefighters also gave the elderly woman oxygen.
"Another man was also taken to hospital with burns to his hands after it is thought he tried to put out the flames."