Hamilton Barber’s Clippers Burst Into Flames Mid-Haircut

HAMILTON, ON — What started as an ordinary evening inside a Hamilton barbershop quickly turned frightening when a pair of cordless hair clippers suddenly caught fire, producing a burst of flames inside the shop.

The incident happened at Upper Cuts Hamilton Barbershop, located at 1216 Upper Wentworth St. in Hamilton, on Thursday, August 20, between approximately 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., according to the shop’s owner.

Video of the incident shows the clippers sitting away from the customer when they suddenly ignite. Within moments, flames shoot upward as those inside quickly move away from the area.

The owner confirmed to Breaking News Canada that no one was injured.

The incident has since gained attention online, including a response from StyleCraft, the manufacturer of the clippers.

In a public comment responding to the video, StyleCraft said that after reviewing the photos and information provided, it determined that the clipper involved was from an older production batch that had been included in a voluntary battery recall more than two years ago.

The company said it had taken steps at the time to replace batteries in affected units but acknowledged that some could still remain in use.

Upper Cuts owner Islamdabarber, who has been a barber for 15 years and has owned the shop for 13 years, says the experience has left him concerned about whether enough professionals were ever made aware of the recall.

“When I hear ‘recall,’ I think of something widely communicated, like food recalls on the news or car manufacturers notifying owners directly. I don’t feel there has been enough awareness around this,” he told Breaking News Canada.

He said his reason for continuing to share the footage isn’t simply because of how dramatic the incident looked — he wants other barbers to know what happened.

“What I experienced and witnessed was not normal and could have ended very differently,” he said. “This is about safety and awareness.”

Previous recall involved battery overheating risk

A Health Canada recall issued on June 20, 2024 involved certain StyleCraft Instinct Cordless Hair Clippers, model SC607M.

According to Health Canada, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery in affected clippers could overheat, posing a potential burn hazard.

The affected lot numbers were:

35-22, 40-22, 15-23, 20-23, 25-23, 30-23, 35-23 and 40-23.

Health Canada reported that 1,623 affected units were sold in Canada between January 2023 and May 2024.

At the time the Canadian recall was issued, the company had received no reports of overheating incidents or injuries in Canada. Six overheating incidents had been reported in the United States, including one minor injury.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission similarly warned that the affected lithium-ion batteries could overheat, posing fire and burn hazards.

While StyleCraft has stated publicly that the clipper involved appeared to come from an older production batch included in the recall, Breaking News Canada has not independently confirmed the specific lot number of the unit involved in the Hamilton incident.

Upper Cuts takes precautions following incident

Upper Cuts appears to be taking no chances following the scare.

In a follow-up posted after the incident, the shop showed two fire extinguishers now on hand, writing, ‘just in case something else gets on fire.’

The follow-up came just days after an incident that could have resulted in a much more serious outcome.

For the shop’s owner, however, sharing what happened has a larger purpose: bringing more awareness to the previous recall and making sure other barbers know about it.

No one was injured in the incident.

Source: Health Canada - StyleCraft Instinct Cordless Hair Clipper Recall, June 20, 2024