Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Explodes in Car in USA

Can hand sanitizer catch fire in your car? This is one question that has been asked by one and all during these tough times of COVID-19 pandemic. There are a lot of answers to this question on the web which further lead to confusion. However, a recent incident in the Western Lakes Fire District in Wisconsin, United States has proved that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are inflammable and can cause fire in the car. The health experts across the globe have advised people to sanitize their hands frequently to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.

The fire incident in Wisconsin was shared widely on social media, especially Facebook. Besides warning people about not keeping alcohol based sanitizer in cars, the Facebook post also advised people to be cautious about keeping water bottles in the car during the scorching heat of the summer season. The post read, “That still holds true and so does hand sanitiser! By its nature, most hand sanitiser is alcohol-based and therefore flammable. Keeping it in your car during hot weather, exposing it to sun causing magnification of light through the bottle – and particularly being next to the open flame while smoking in vehicles or grilling while enjoying this weekend – can lead to disaster.”

The Fire department further issued an advisory regarding the same, stating that products made of alcohol can easily burn through a vehicle’s body if kept for a longer duration during the summer season. It added that necessary monitoring is required to ascertain whether other liquids like clear water bottles can focus light to the point that they boil the water and cause an explosion inside the car. The Fire department warning also answers the "Does hand sanitizer explode in a hot car?" question very precisely. So, since its summer time in India and temperature goes as high as 50 degree Celsius in some parts, we appeal our readers to be careful while using alcohol-based hand sanitizers in cars and not expose them to direct sunlight.

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