Hand sanitizer and a lit cigarettes don’t mix well. Especially inside a car. A driver suffered non-life-threatening first and second degree burns on his hands and inner-thighs after his car burst into flames caused by the bad combination Thursday in Montgomery County, Maryland. The incident occurred at around 5:30 p.m. at Federal Plaza shopping center in Rockville, Maryland.
More – Rockville, MD, hand sanitizer & lighted cigarette start fire in an occupied car, Driver was able to escape the vehicle while onlookers called 911. The patient suffered from NLT 1st & 2nd degree burns on his hands & inner thighs pic.twitter.com/viAvipIqKi https://t.co/JJcMzdliCq
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) May 14, 2021
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue said the embers from the man’s cigarette lit a handful of hand-sanitizer. The car quickly caught on fire in the middle of the parking lot. The male driver was able to escape as flames engulfed the vehicle, turning it to a metal skeleton.
More… (5/13) Federal Plaza, Rockville Pike, @mcfrs Fire Investigators say after shopping & in a car a man filled his hands w/ copious amount of hand sanitizer. While working sanitizer into his hands, embers fell from cigarette in his mouth, igniting sanitizer & some clothing. https://t.co/nbQTVtXrbE pic.twitter.com/IBUrWvLQGh
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) May 14, 2021
Paramedics transported the man to a hospital when he is expected to recover. A map of the area is below. [google_map latitude=”39.0580″ longitude=”-77.1368″ zoom=”13″ height=”300px” location_label=”Federal Plaza” dynamic_map=”false”]