Donata Gutauskienė-Laisva, a popular Lithuanian singer and radio personality, experienced a frightening moment on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, when her hair briefly caught fire during a Valentine’s Day photoshoot.
The incident occurred at a radio studio while Gutauskienė-Laisva and her co-host, Marijus Berenis, were filming content for social media. Candles used as props ignited her hair, prompting a quick response from “Lietaus” program director Gintas Vaičikauskas, who extinguished the flames.
“I was very scared, it’s hard to even describe the feeling,” Gutauskienė-Laisva said in a statement. “If it weren’t for Gintas being nearby, it could have ended very badly – not just for me, but for the entire radio studio.”
Neither Gutauskienė-Laisva nor Berenis initially noticed the fire, only detecting a strange smell. Vaičikauskas quickly intervened, preventing a more serious incident. “He noticed I was on fire and rushed to help, which is how we were able to put it out so quickly,” she explained. “I would have been in trouble, because we all know how quickly hair burns. I could have been left without any hair at all.”
While a video of the incident circulated online, Gutauskienė-Laisva downplayed the extent of the damage, noting that only the ends of her hair were affected. “In the filmed footage, it looks a little scarier than it actually was. Only the ends of my hair were singed, so I won’t need to change my hairstyle,” she said with a laugh. “The rescue operation was swift and successful, and the only thing left is some stress. It’s good that everything ended well, and I’ll walk around with slightly singed hair for a while.”
The near-miss serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of open flames during photoshoots and productions. Gutauskienė-Laisva added a cautionary note, stating, “We just sat there afterwards and shrugged our shoulders at how quickly one careless, thoughtless step can create such a terrible and dangerous situation. Don’t be like us, don’t relax.”
