While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an increase in the production and sales of hand sanitizers, experts are warning that leaving them in your vehicle can make it explode into flames.
According to a report by Fox, the Illinois fire department is warning against leaving hand sanitizers and bottles with high alcohol content in parked vehicles.
See Also: COVID-19: Nigerians flout Safety Guidelines despite rising cases – PTF
This advice is being given after a bottle with high alcohol content left on the dashboard of a car, sparked a fire.
According to the Waugekegan fire department;
“The fire appeared to be caused by the owner’s small bottle of hand sanitizer that was left on the dashboard.”
The bottle contained 80% alcohol and had direct contact with sunlight sparking flames in the vehicle.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, hand sanitizers do not catch fire in their own without a source of ignition which sunlight seems to have done in the case of the burnt out vehicle.
“It appears sunlight shining through the windshield onto the sanitizer was enough to cause ignition.” The fire department said further.
Photos from the vehicle showed a melted dashboard, and a damaged sun visor and headliner. The rearview mirror of the vehicle was melted down by the fire.
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Asides from the Illinois police department, a health and safety expert, Dr Wilson Arikpo, also warned against leaving alcohol-based hand sanitisers locked inside vehicles parked in high-temperature environments.
He gave the warning after a car parked under the hot sun caught fire when a sanitiser allegedly exploded inside it.
According to the expert, because it has suddenly become an essential item, many Nigerians take small bottles of the sanitisers with them everywhere and often leave them in their vehicles, negligent of the safety concerns.
However sunlight can focus through a clear bottle of sanitizer and spark a fire.
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