Known to some as a conservative firebrand, United States Senator Pat Toomey proved to be more firefighter during his Wednesday night birthday celebration.

Pittsburgh native and political consultant Michael Brody was among the guests – along with U.S. Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina – attending the soiree.

Reports the Washington Post’s Reliable Source political gossip blog:

“As Toomey was delivering his insights from the debt supercommittee, the senator’s wife, Kris, leapt forward and shouted: Brody’s hair was on fire!”

“Wait — how? Brody, who stands about 6-foot-4, had backed up against a row of decorative tea lights, and ‘it’s a full head of hair,’ he acknowledged. ‘It was smoking and [on] fire before I even felt it.’

“The victim said the senator sprang into action, patting out the flames on the back of his head, though Toomey’s office says it was mostly Kris Toomey who did the fire-smothering, with her hands.  Neither of the Toomeys was injured — and Brody, also okay, says his hair looks fine, too.”