Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, alcohol-based sanitisers have become part of essentials for everyone but a video of a biker in India accidentally being set on fire at a disinfection checkpoint has highlighted how they need to be used with caution.
In the wake of the pandemic, auto companies, gated communities and several other checkpoints on roads in the country have made it mandatory to disinfect vehicles that pass through.
A clip with CCTV footage showing a man driving through one such checkpoint and being sprayed with alcohol-based disinfectant has been circulating online.
In the video, a biker drives by after being sprayed without any issues.
However, as the second bike moves forward, his vehicle instantly bursts into flames and the rider almost catches fire as well, before he promptly drops the bike and gets away from it. Guards are seen rushing in to help the man.
The video was reportedly taken in the Naroda area of Ahmedabad city, in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Since the motorcycle is being sanitised in a running state, it's presumably hot and sparks fire in a split second.
In the video, under the bike, there seems to be a pool of disinfectant liquid formed over time, which caught fire and remained ablaze even after the bike was moved away.
Sanitiser solution usually includes isopropyl alcohol or ethanol, which are highly flammable substances and when sprayed upon a hot surface may catch fire.
A Dubai Civil Defence official had said that sanitisers contain alcohol components and the public was urged not to leave them under direct sun or store it inside cars as it can cause fires.
India, which is said to have not reached its peak for the coronavirus transmission, crossed 200,000 of COVID-19 positive cases, official figures showed on Wednesday, June 3.
