Hand sanitisers used in the fight against the novel coronavirus are potentially flammable if left in warm vehicles, a fire department has warned.

The Western Lakes First District in Wisconsin posted a photo of a burned-out car door on Facebook, explaining how most hand sanitisers are alcohol-based and therefore flammable.

The post read: “By its nature, most hand sanitizer 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 open flame while smoking in vehicles or grilling while enjoying this weekend – can lead to disaster.”

As well as the post, the fire department also shared a video from the National Fire Protection Association about its warnings on hand sanitizer.
The department also cautioned about the risks of leaving bottles of water in vehicles on a warm days, too.

In early March, hand sanitizer availability received national attention as people rushed to stock up amid coronavirus concerns.

States like New York began to produce their own sanitisers for the likes of schools, non-profits and government agencies.

Meanwhile, some stores began to sell the product at hugely inflated prices, leading to some locations being fined for pricing hikes.