Texas woman hospitalized after hand sanitizer sparks house fire
AUSTIN - Safety experts are renewing warnings concerning the safe use of hand sanitizer after a mother was burned in a house fire at her Texas home.
According to ABC News, Kate Wise was wrapped in flames after she tried lighting a candle immediately after using an off-brand hand sanitizer.
"The explosion happened in a matter of two seconds with my entire body on fire," Wise told ABC News. "And I heard my daughters screaming 'mom's on fire, mom's on fire.'"
The explosion burned 18 percent of her body, but her children were unharmed. Wise's two youngest daughters were able to escape while she rescued her teenage daughter with cerebral palsy.
"I knew even in the chaos of things that she wasn't going to be able to save herself," Wise said.
Wise suffered second and third-degree burns to her face, arms and legs and spent several days in the intensive care unit.
Trending News
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fire incidents related to alcohol-based hand sanitizers are very low but the National Fire Protection agency considers them a flammable liquid. Experts recommend you ensure your hands are dry if you're using hand sanitizer before igniting flames like lighters, gas stoves and heaters.