A motorist was left with burns when his car went up flames after he used hand sanitiser while smoking a cigarette.
The unusual incident happened in Rockville in Maryland, US, when the driver was smoking a cigarette and then began to use hand sanitiser.
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The sanitiser ignited and the whole car ended up completely engulfed in flames.
Fortunately, the driver only received minor burns and was taken to hospital.
In a post on Twitter, Pete Piringer, a spokesperson for The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service said: "Vehicle fire; cause, driver using hand sanitiser & smoking a cigarette, which is a bad combo in unventilated area like a car; total loss."
In a second post he wrote: "Hand sanitiser & 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 & transported to hospital."
Images show the inside of the car totally burnt out by the fire, which firefighters were eventually able to put out.
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Last May, a US fire department issued a warning to motorists about leaving hand sanitiser in their vehicles during hot weather.
The Western Lakes Fire District in Wisconsin, United States, shared a photo on Facebook showing a burned-out car door, explaining how hand-sanitiser tends to be 'alcohol-based' and is therefore highly flammable.
The post read: "Let's start today with a little education!
"We've chatted in the past about clear water bottles being kept in your vehicle when the weather is warm.
"That still holds true and so does hand sanitiser! By its nature, most hand sanitiser is alcohol-based and therefore flammable.
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"Keeping it in your car during hot weather, exposing it to sun causing magnification of light through the bottle - and particularly being next to open flame while smoking in vehicles or grilling while enjoying this weekend - can lead to disaster.
"Please respect the possibilities and be fire safe."
While over on this side of the pond, the NHS released a similar warning in June.
A notice issued by the NHS property services read: "This quick share is to alert all colleagues to the potential fire risk in vehicles, caused by alcohol-based hand sanitiser.
"We have received a number of reports of hand sanitiser being the cause of fires when left in vehicles in the hot weather the UK is currently experiencing."
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The notice continued: "These vapours are reaching their 'flashpoint' and then ignite in normal air conditions, setting fire to flammable components within the car.
"Remove all alcohol-based hand sanitiser products from vehicles when they are not occupied, do not leave hand sanitiser in unattended vehicles."
Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@mcfrsPIOTopics: US News