It’s one of those freak accidents that you read about in the news… the kind that rocks you to your very core. It’s so impactful because it could happen to literally anyone, on any given day, in a hundred different ways. 

There is nothing truly special about the events leading up to the moment when Kate Wise’s life would change forever, as her body became engulfed in flames. She will recover, but the memories of that fateful day will always be with her. Those pivotal few moments were nothing more than a series of tasks that any of us might perform, especially in this age of COVID-19. The ever-looming threat of viruses lurking in every nook and cranny, and the constant presence of hand sanitizer, is ultimately what makes this a cautionary tale for literally every single one of us. (1)

Sanitizer And A Spark

Kate, while lives in Round Rock Texas, says she was simply lighting a candle after applying hand sanitizer when it all went horribly wrong. The spark from the lighter was all that was needed to ignite the flammable hand sanitizer on her hands. With her hands on fire, and the bottle nearby, it took a split second for the flames to touch that bottle and ignite it, causing an explosion that covered Kate’s face and body in hand sanitizer and flames.

As if it couldn’t get any worse than that, Kate’s three daughters were all in the house with her at the time. The two youngest ran for help, while Kate managed to get the burning clothes off her, and get the family pets and her disabled daughter out of the house too. (1)

With the coronavirus pandemic taking center stage for the majority of 2020, much of our attention has collectively turned to ways we can prevent the spread of not just this virus, but all of them. The use of hand sanitizer has become a part of many people’s health protocols, so it makes sense that there would be more news stories about it. 

But, the news is rarely good. We have seen a laundry list of hand sanitizer recalls of various types and severities, alongside warnings that hand sanitizer bottles should not be left in hot cars, or direct sunlight, for fear of fire and explosion. (2, 3)

The Round Rock Fire Department is investigating the cause of this fire, but the hope is that people will take this story to heart because what happened to Ms. Wise could happen to anyone at all. Hand sanitizer is flammable, and with various manufacturers out there, the degree to which it is flammable may vary. 

The Problem With Pumps

It turns out that hand sanitizer in pump bottles poses a very specific problem. This type of packaging has a greater potential for explosion, thanks to its ability to off-gas. Because they don’t click closed like a travel size bottle of sanitizer would, pump bottles have the potential to leak flammable gas into the air as temperatures rise. (2) Then all it takes is a spark of static electricity from someone’s sweater, or the flick of a lighter, for a sudden and dangerous explosion and fire to ensue. 

Now more than ever, with hand sanitizer so prevalent in our lives, it’s important to be mindful that it’s a potentially dangerous substance and to exercise caution. Keeping all hand sanitizer out of direct sunlight will help it retain its potency, in addition to keeping you safe. Couple that with purchasing the kind of bottles that click tightly closed, and you have taken two important steps toward safety for you and your family.