Waukegan car fire likely caused by hot hand sanitizer, officials say

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WLS) -- Do you keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car? If so, this warning from the Waukegan Fire Department is for you.

The department said a vehicle caught fire, apparently because someone left a small bottle of hand sanitizer on the dashboard. The sanitizer was 80% alcohol.

Firefighters believe sunlight caused it to ignite. They are now telling people not to keep sanitizer in their cars.

The Waukegan Fire Department said it's aware of other incidents similar to this happening as more and more people are using a higher alcohol concentration hand sanitizer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.