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03-11-2010, 07:47 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 153
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Bummer, but coulda been worse!
First of all, the Fire Dept. has gone and no-one was hurt. Late this afternoon my wife looked out the window and said, 'There's smoke coming from that motorhome!' I grabbed my Fire extinguisher and ran to the RV hollering to my neighbor to grab his and follow me. A 2004 Monaco Diplomat a row behind us had dark black smoke pouring from his Fridge roof vent. My partner Tom worked to get the outside Fridge cover off while I unplugged the 50amp service. Someone else was banging on the locked front door, but no one was home. After emptying two extinguishers into the back of the refrigerator the roaring flume fire dropped off and we were able to open the propane bay to shut off the gas. The RV next to the Dip had a twentyfive foot hose curled up next to the water bib so we grabbed it and started forcing water up the fridge flume. Another neighbor climbed on the roof and, after kicking off the melted cover, used the water hose to force water down the flume. By the time the Fire Dept arrived the fire was mostly out and they worked to extinguish the remaining embers. The Firemen broke the front door window to open the locked door and went about opening all the coach windows. They then placed a powerful gas powered fan blowing in the front door to empty the RV of all the remaining smoke from the inside, which was plenty! They spent a lot of time fishing melted insulation out of the flume while checking with a handheld thermal indicator to make sure there were no more hot spots. The owners arrived about an hour later and were very grateful that their RV was saved. Elinor, the manager of the Thousand Trails Park here in Peace River Florida, donated the use of one of the Parks rentals for the burned out RV'ers use because they were obviously unable to sleep in their Coach. The owners said their refrigerator was a four door Norcold and that they checked the serial numbers to make sure it didn't have a safety recall on it just a few weeks previous. No idea what started the fire though it was definitely a fridge fire. All in all, what could have been a disaster turned out to be a save. A lot of good neighbors working together to help one of their own.
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Denny & Nancy Macom • RV-Trek.com
'07 Trek29RBD Wh20/8.1 • Ultrapower • Taylor Wires • SteerSafe • SMI SIP Tow Brake
Koni Shocks • Front/RearTracBars • MotoSat F1 DataStorm • PressurePro • 02 Honda CRV
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03-11-2010, 08:05 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Florida Keys
Posts: 2,252
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Great job Denny!
You did your good deed for the day!
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Tom and Katharine
'07 Winnebago Tour 40TD, 400hp Cummins
'17 Winnebago View 24V, '02 R-Vision B+
RVing for 19 years & 150,000+ miles
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03-11-2010, 08:47 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Central Valley, California
Posts: 1,372
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Great Job to you and those that helped. This just reinforces what I always say. Campers Are the Nicest People on Earth
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If you don't stand behind our TROOPS, Feel Free to stand in front of them
2017 Silverado Z-71 Pulling 2017.5 Lance 1985
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03-11-2010, 09:44 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Foley, AL
Posts: 1,247
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Denny, good for you, and your wife's sharp eyes.
One more favor you can do the owner is to tell them to all Norcold again, lodge a complaint and ask Norcold to pay for the damage. If Norcold refuses, they should file a complaint with the Federal Department of Transportation. If enough complaints get filed, there may be a forced recall of Norcold fridges. No doubt it was a 4-door 1200LRM.
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Rex
2001 Monaco Diplomat 40' PDQ - 08 Honda CR-V
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03-11-2010, 10:05 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,797
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Denny and Nancy. It's sure good to hear that there are wonderful helpful people like yourselves out there. I'm glad to hear no one was hurt and I know that the good deed will be returned someday.
Sammie
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2015 Tiffin Bus 37AP
2016 Ford Explorer
"A Job Begun is Half Done"
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03-11-2010, 10:29 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: CT
Posts: 359
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1991 32' Winnebago Itasca
bought used in 2009 - our first
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03-12-2010, 08:44 AM
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#7
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Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 55
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Good job and quick thinking on you and your wifes behalf. I agree with others that campers are the best.
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Larry and Angie "lassiez les bontemps rouler"
2006 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 38PDD 400 ISL/ 2005 Tahoe/ 1937 Plymouth P/U Streetrod/ 24' Enclosed Pace Trailer
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03-12-2010, 10:29 AM
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#8
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Member
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Midkiff TX
Posts: 47
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Great job on helping 1 another out
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03-12-2010, 11:04 AM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Country Coach Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Glen Allen, VA
Posts: 7,779
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Good job folks. I think we'd all try to do our best to help in a similar situation.
It does seem you can read about these Norcold fridge fires weekly. I am waiting now for the most recent recall work. I have installed a halon automatic fire suppression unit in my fridge compartment, hoping to never need it but wanting the protection just in case.
How hard was it for the FD to break into the coach door? I ask because we have two dogs and leave a sign in the door to 'please rescue them in an emergency.' We never deadblot the door when they are left alone in the coach but do lock the handle. I've often wondered if the average RV'r could break into the door with a large screwdriver or other similar prying instrument.
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2019 Grand Designs 384GK 5th wheel. Glen Allen, VA
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03-12-2010, 01:28 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 153
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Actually it was fairly simple to get into the coach, if you don't mind the front door window being broke out. The Fireman just reached through the window, tore the screen and unlocked the deadbolt. Keeping the deadbolt unlocked is a good idea if you have pets. There were a number of people with their own Monaco keys that tried the door lock and one persons even worked. As a past RV Repair Business owner out of Fairbanks, we still carry with us a complete set of door keys to help other folks when they get locked out. We've used them a coupla times for that.
Another interesting tidbit from yesterday. When we returned the water hose to the folks that let us use it, they seemed pretty excited. Seems that in their travels across the US, they're from Germany, they've gotten in the habit of leaving a hose hooked up outside their RV to put out a fire if they ever had one. Cool idea!
A question to those in the know. As our Fire Extinguisher is now empty and we need to replace it, what is the reccomended type and size we should get? I was shocked at how quick our lil' 4lb emptied. and would like to get a bigger/better one.
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Denny & Nancy Macom • RV-Trek.com
'07 Trek29RBD Wh20/8.1 • Ultrapower • Taylor Wires • SteerSafe • SMI SIP Tow Brake
Koni Shocks • Front/RearTracBars • MotoSat F1 DataStorm • PressurePro • 02 Honda CRV
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03-12-2010, 02:16 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,386
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Denny,
Check here Fire and Life Safety. I went to his seminar at an FMCA rally.
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Bob Russo
Formerly had 07 Neptune 36PDQ, ISB 325, Allison 2500, Source Trailing Arms and Ride Enhancement Kit, Demco KarKaddy 460SS.
Currently no Motorhome
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03-12-2010, 02:22 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 376
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Only source we've used for initial purchase is from "Mac the Fire Guy" who normally is at all large rallies. Assume it's got a website also. Good work!
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Richard and Mary Lou
2007 HR Scepter, 42PLQ
Supply Corps, USN Retired
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03-12-2010, 02:55 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 479
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You may want to try a min of 8BC. Get two of'em
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2001 NRV, Islander Dynomax chassis
330 turbo cummins/allison
07 HHR
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03-12-2010, 03:25 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 959
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I hope the RV owner doesn't forget to replace your fire extenguisher and a dinner for two would be nice.
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__________________
Fleetwood Providence 2008 40e
Ford F-350 4x4 Diesel 6.0L 2006
Honda CR-V 2006
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