Motorhome Fire

[Willow Rat]

This was my friends motor home going through Barstow on Monday coming back from a great trip. All got out OK but a very scary moment happened that I want to share. When they realized they had an issue they immediately pulled over to exit the coach. When trying to get out of the coach's main door they realized they were too close to the guard rail and the door would not open. Beings it was an older unit there was a small drivers side door and they were able to get out with no more than 2-3 minutes to spare. Very Scary.

The Buggy was uninjured.

 

[Ziggy]

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Yay for the Manx though

 

[Bigbore500r]

Damn! Crazy

 

[RitcheyRch]

Crazy how fast they burn.

 

[Enen]

That's scary. Glad everyone got out okay. When RV's burn, they burn quick and hot.

 

[Willow Rat]

They had smoke in the cabin when the door would not open. My friends were very lucky to come out of it without injuries.

Just wanted to share with you all just in case some emergency like this comes up hopefully you will have this memory and pull over at a place and leave room to get out.

 

[bagged97taco]

Do they know what caused the fire to start?

 

[Waffles]

Wonder if it was the fridge. Huge recall going on right now because of them

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[Willow Rat]

Not sure what caused it. The motorhome was older but very nice. Freshly repainted and very clean on the inside. We think probably a fuel leak.

 

[RichL]

Damn. Glad all are OK.

 

[yz450mm]

Wonder if it was the fridge. Huge recall going on right now because of them

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I would say Point of Origin area in red, looks like fridge coil in purple circle. Definitely possible it was the fridge....

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[mash on it]

Wow, glad everyone is ok.
Talk about going out in a blaze of glory.
At least the buggy made it.
Looks like the toaster made it too.

I've towed a few burned cars, fire was hot enough to melt a quadrajet carb down into the manifold. Serious heat.

Dan'l

 

[HALLETT BOY]

Going down any interstate, every 1/4 mile or so , you see burn patches on the side of the road . I bet most are motorhome remnants ...if you’ve ever worked on one , you’ll know why .

 

[Runs2rch]

Going down any interstate, every 1/4 mile or so , you see burn patches on the side of the road . I bet most are motorhome remnants ...if you’ve ever worked on one , you’ll know why .

All the way up Baker Grade. Burn spots everywhere. Used to be Transmissions overheating. Boil over, fluid hits hot exhaust manifold and kaboom.

My wife's grandparents moho burned up on the Grapevine. Cause was never determined.

 

[RCDave]

I was always worried about the propane norcold fridge in my last motorhome.

To me upgrading to a residential fridge is worth the tradeoffs for boondockin

 

[spectras only]

One thing you must be cautious about RV's. Never leave propane on for the fridge underway.

 

[pwerwagn]

A few of my friends have lost 5th wheels/motorhomes from fridge fires. I always let mine get cold at home, and turn off the propane/fridge when traveling. Id rather have hot food than a burned RV.

My wife's grandpa had a 5th wheel catch fire about 10 years ago. At the time, we all had gooseneck hitch conversions, and his was still a 5th wheel. He was traveling to a family reunion and had a ~96 ford F250 extended cab. My wifes grandma was in her 80's (her grandpa is 94 right now), and couldn't move very well, and her aunt at the time had just had hip surgery and had to sit in the front seat. Her grandma/cousins were in the back seat, there were ~5 people in the truck. By the time he noticed the 5th wheel was on fire, all of them didn't have time to get out of the back seat fast enough. Her grandpa was smart enough to get out, unlatch the 5th wheel hitch and drive off. The 5th wheel smashed his bed, and the fire was already hot enough to melt all the paint off the back of the cab./headache rack (and he had a small burn from unlatching the hitch), but beyond that the truck and everyone in it were fine. Had that truck/camper been a gooseneck, there would have been no time to get the jacks down to get it off the ball. My gooseneck adapter got removed immediately, especially since I had kids in car seats.

 

[monkeyswrench]

A few of my friends have lost 5th wheels/motorhomes from fridge fires. I always let mine get cold at home, and turn off the propane/fridge when traveling. Id rather have hot food than a burned RV.

My wife's grandpa had a 5th wheel catch fire about 10 years ago. At the time, we all had gooseneck hitch conversions, and his was still a 5th wheel. He was traveling to a family reunion and had a ~96 ford F250 extended cab. My wifes grandma was in her 80's (her grandpa is 94 right now), and couldn't move very well, and her aunt at the time had just had hip surgery and had to sit in the front seat. Her grandma/cousins were in the back seat, there were ~5 people in the truck. By the time he noticed the 5th wheel was on fire, all of them didn't have time to get out of the back seat fast enough. Her grandpa was smart enough to get out, unlatch the 5th wheel hitch and drive off. The 5th wheel smashed his bed, and the fire was already hot enough to melt all the paint off the back of the cab./headache rack (and he had a small burn from unlatching the hitch), but beyond that the truck and everyone in it were fine. Had that truck/camper been a gooseneck, there would have been no time to get the jacks down to get it off the ball. My gooseneck adapter got removed immediately, especially since I had kids in car seats.

This goes back to this statement; Some old people are just plain bad ass. All mine are goose...never really thought about this issue until now

 

[redone76]

Wonder if it was the fridge. Huge recall going on right now because of them

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Can you elaborate on this please. Curious if mine is involved. Thanks in advance

 

[redone76]

https://www.suitesowners.com/dometic-refrigerator-recall-info/

Thanks!

 

[J DUNN]

Going down any interstate, every 1/4 mile or so , you see burn patches on the side of the road . I bet most are motorhome remnants ...if you’ve ever worked on one , you’ll know why .

I've heard you also learn why if you've ever been "upside down" in one, money wise and had good insurance. I've heard of that happening a few times too.

Not saying that happened here. Glad all got out and are okay. My first thought was, why pull so close to guard-rail, then realized in the panic of trying to get stopped fast enough he probably didn't think of it. Close call.

 

[Waffles]

One thing you must be cautious about RV's. Never leave propane on for the fridge underway.

Yikes. Care to elaborate on this....I'm new to the moho life. I turn on my fridge the night before and don't turn it off until I off load when I get home

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[Waffles]

Can you elaborate on this please. Curious if mine is involved. Thanks in advance

http://67.238.126.140

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[spectras only]

https://rvshare.com/blog/dangerous-use-propane-gas/

While traveling, appliances move and they can break the propane line allowing the gas in the tank to escape. You only need a small spark to ignite propane gas. A broken line can trigger a fire in an instant.
Traveling with propane gas off
This option means you forfeit your heating and cooling systems, but that’s a minor trade off considering it could save your life. A propane leak due to an accident is a disaster about to happen.
Remember to turn all appliances off when traveling. Most use an electric ignition that can create a spark and trigger an explosion if there is a break in the propane line.

 

[redone76]

http://67.238.126.140

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Thanks! My trailer is a 2008 but I’ll run the model number anyway


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[rush1]

That's a 1995 Southwind, sorry to see that happen .Glad everyone was okay.

 

[rush1]

https://norcold.com/recall-information/
For those of you enquiring about the Norcold fridge fires this is thier recall information

 

[Shrub Lurker]

Nothing will sell your (Insert RV, Bentley Bayliner etc) better , for retail to the insurance company like a good dash fire!

 

[TPC]

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Yay for the Manx though

I was prayin' for it before I continued reading.

Saw something similar on the 395 at JoBerg. Traffic stopped for an hour
The FD said it's usually the transmissions melting down.

 

[sprintcvx]

Scary stuff. Glad all made it out ok. I've always run my fridge on propane going down the road. After reading this, no more, I've changed my ways!

 

[Hermosa]

Interesting read, been in an RV all my life camping and was never told to turn off the gas, we always run the fridge and sometimes the furnace. Nobody I know or we run with turns their fridge off while in transit, but I can see the possible issues here. I'm torn...

 

[RCDave]

Most of the propane frig related fires are caused by corrosion of the plumbing containing the ammonia used in the cooling system. Ammonia is flammable and any leak coupled with the propane flame and instant fire.

 

[cakemoto]

Says clear as day on my propane tank
Turn off gas while underway

 

[redone76]

Whew! Mines not on the Dometic recall


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[Bigbore500r]

Interesting read, been in an RV all my life camping and was never told to turn off the gas, we always run the fridge and sometimes the furnace. Nobody I know or we run with turns their fridge off while in transit, but I can see the possible issues here. I'm torn...

It’s one of those “it’s always fine till it’s not” deals. I run with my fridge on also. Makes you think twice though. Aaaaaaaand - just checked my fridge and it’s on the damn recall list. Now what? Are they still covering the repairs?

 

[Shrub Lurker]

It’s one of those “it’s always fine till it’s not” deals. I run with my fridge on also. Makes you think twice though. Aaaaaaaand - just checked my fridge and it’s on the damn recall list. Now what? Are they still covering the repairs?[/QUOT

I believe they are. Recalls are forever. Service bulitens (sp), are not.