Dozens of firefighters battle South LA blaze fueled by hand sanitizer

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Firefighters in South Los Angeles Thursday battled a stubborn rubbish fire involving pallets of hand sanitizer.

The fire was reported around 5 p.m. in the area of Avalon Boulevard and 55th Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The fire was allowed to burn off "in a controlled manner" due to the high alcohol content of the hand sanitizer, an LAFD spokesperson said in a news release.

"Water cannot be used safely in these conditions, as alcohol can float on water and spread flames," the release said. "Crews are instead focused on protecting nearby structures and limiting environmental impact from runoff."

An update from the fire department posted shortly after 8:30 p.m. said the fire is expected to burn for several more hours.

A total of 66 firefighters responded to the blaze. The cause of the fire is unknown and no injuries have been reported.