Hand sanitiser causing car fires.

[Chippy_Tea]

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Please be aware of the potential fire risk in vehicles, caused by alcohol-based hand sanitiser. There have been a number of reports of hand sanitiser being the cause of fires when left in vehicles in the hot weather.

 

[kelper]

Urban myth probably. The self ignition temperature is 360 Celsius!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Urban myth probably. The self ignition temperature is 360 Celsius!

I am sure it was higher than that in my car earlier when i got back to it i nearly self ignited.

 

[kelper]

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hand-sanitizer-explodes-hot-car/

 

[Clint]

Wonder if it's the gel type or spray from an atomiser?
I work in a chemical plant and when hand sanitizer was sold out everywhere we made our own...to a correct formulae sourced by our in house chemical boffins...it is a liquid type and used in spray bottles...I wouldn't use it too close to the bank of computers I use!

 

[LED_ZEP]

There must be a spark from a motor or servo etc. to enable combustion. The high temp just helps the alcohol to evaporate and increase pressure in the container it's stored in forcing vapour out. Then when you unlock the car any sparks from the electronics......

 

[kelper]

The myth claims the fire (not explosion) was due to sunlight not sparks. There is no documented case of it ever happening.

 

[Graz]

As above, needs a source of ignition i.e. spark, flame, etc.

There was an 'elf n safety warning went round our work, someone at one of our North American site had manged to burn themselves, story goes they applied sanitiser to the hands, came close to some metal causing a static discharge spark and caught fire. Stuff burns with a near invisible flame as well so takes a while to figure out what was going on. Advice was to keep away from metal objects until you've fully rubbed it in / it has evaporated.