Amid concerns that water would only worsen the situation, Los Angeles firefighters allowed pallets full of hand sanitizers to burn throughout Thursday night. 

The fire started at about 5 p.m. in a storage lot along the 5400 block of South Avalon Boulevard. The Los Angeles Fire Department opted for a controlled burn because of the high-alcohol content of the hand sanitizer. 

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

Firefighters built sand dams to protect storm drains and requested large quantities of foam to suppress flames. The fire was burning next to a building, but flames had not damaged it as of 11 p.m.

The LAFD believes the fire will continue to burn throughout most of the night. It will rotate about 40 firefighters to monitor the flames.

No one was injured in the fire, according to LAFD. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire.