Claim: Posts shared thousands of times on social media in May 2020 show a photo of the melted inner panel of a car door claiming it is the result of a hand sanitizer fire. The posts claim that the gel ignited after being left in a hot car. The claim is misleading. According to fire experts, alcohol-based sanitizers are flammable, but it is "highly unlikely" for them to spontaneously combust.
Fact-check: 'Highly unlikely' hand sanitizer will catch fire in hot vehicle
Verdict: misleading
Organisation: AFP Fact Check
Author: François D'Astier
Date published: 2020-05-28T01:20:00