Owner says tanning salon safe, despite fire

by Samuel King (king@wsbt.com)

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Tanning salons no longer have to be inspected before they open

Tanning salons no longer have to be inspected before they open. (WSBT photo)

By Tiffany Griffin

MISHAWAKA — A fire at a tanning salon left one woman a little shaken, but not harmed. It happened Thursday morning at the Tiki Tan in Mishawaka. Desiree Himes was in a standing tanning bed when the fire started in the cabinet behind her.

"I had my goggles on, of course my eyes were closed and I smelled fire," Himes told WSBT News. "I tried to get the fire extinguisher in there and we were trying to get it out and stuff and by then trying to get dressed on top of that!”

She managed to get out with the help of employees.

“Everything the employees did was exceptionally correct,” said Rick DiBari, owner of the salon. “The fire department complemented them on their responsiveness and how they did it.”

DiBari told WSBT News he’s never had a problem with the model of bed that burned. He also said he never any complaints filed against his salon in South Bend or the one he owns in Elkhart. He said the salon was inspected before it opened.

But WSBT News has found the rules have changed.

Salons no longer have to be inspected before they open and state regulators told WSBT News the General Assembly went even further.

"Last year, the legislature repealed the law in which cosmetology salons, barbershops had to be inspected during their license tenure, in other words, before they renewed their license,” said Bill Nave, Director of Compliance and Investigation for the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.

The state can do random inspections, and does investigate complaints. Nave told WSBT News a state inspector will look into what happened at Tiki Tan. The state fire marshal is also looking into the cause of the fire.

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