Motorhome Fire, Total Loss

[Route 66]

Just a reminder about how fast a fire can spread.

The owners escaped unharmed and report that it was 2 minutes after the smoke was noticed until the MH was totally involved. 13 minutes to a total loss.

News Report

Forum comments
Datastorm Users
Escapees

[Route 66]

Just a reminder about how fast a fire can spread.

The owners escaped unharmed and report that it was 2 minutes after the smoke was noticed until the MH was totally involved. 13 minutes to a total loss.

News Report

Forum comments
Datastorm Users
Escapees

[Jetsmania]

Hi Dirk! What a heartbreak. Thank God they are alright. Do you know what brand Motor Home they had? Paul

[Route 66]

It was a 42-foot 2005 Safari Panther according to the news report.

HERE is a link to the owner's website.

[read & learn]

Looks likes they were MOTOSAT Dealers atleast that is what is on the toad

[countryside drivin]

Here's there homepage with the story from them http://swaimquest.com/Coach_Fire.aspx
Also they are able to get donations with a paypal account, the link is on datastorm users forum, just in case anybody wanted to know

[Jimmy Jam]

That's terrible....

Trust me, folks, as indicated, it doesn't just happen to someone else.

Another shift at my station had a Coachman Class A gasser burn to the framerails a couple of months back. The owner was living in it at the time on the site of his new home under construction. Luckily, a smoke detector woke him up and he was still barely able to escape.
No official cause was ever determined..

[NeilV]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jimmy Jam:
That's terrible....

Trust me, folks, as indicated, it doesn't just happen to someone else.

Another shift at my station had a Coachman Class A gasser burn to the framerails a couple of months back. The owner was living in it at the time on the site of his new home under construction. Luckily, a smoke detector woke him up and he was still barely able to escape.
No official cause was ever determined.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It happend to us Memorial Day weekend 2006. It was a total loss even though the fire was put out before it got past the front of the coach. Smoke and heat messed up the interior too badly when the fire department drove off in the wrong direction and got turned around for 20 minutes. The dispatcher argued with us on the phone when we told him the fire crew had turned off the road even though they were in sight of us. By the time we convinced him that we knew where we were and he got the crew going in the right direction the fire had finally made it inside the coach. It took almost a half hour for the fire to get past the fire wall and inside my 95 Winnebago Vectra. All the steel under the drivers area and in the basement held it back admirably. The cause was not fully determined but was felt to have been a tight wheel bearing or dragging brake caliper.

It could happen to anyone and some coaches seem to be more prone to going up in a heartbeat. It would be nice if there were more stringent fire standards for motor coaches especially in the engine bay, around the water heater and refridgerator.

[Skip- Kerrville, TX]

RV's really go up fast, and you have to act fast to protect yourself and your family and pets.

The fire extinguishers that come standard when you purchase and RV are woefully inadequate. It is a great idea to purchase larger, more efficient ones. It could save your life.

[Jim Shepherd]

When you go to the datastorm users link

http://www.datastormusers.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/ubb/g...ic/f/1/t/002078.html

be sure to go to the second page. There is discussion of two fire suppression systems that could have prevented this very tragic loss.

When we talk to folks at various trade shows, it is amazing how many say that if they have a fire, no big deal, they are covered by insurance. They have no clue what their real losses would be!

[Craig P.]

These tragedies are so sad. I saw a similar fire on the highway last fall. I wanted to help the poor family standing on the side of the road, but there was nothing I could do for them, as the fire had burned all the way from the rear to the front wheels. I literally cried for them.

I immediately went out and purchased several extra fire extinguishers and stowed them all over the place, inside and out. But after reading that the poor owners of this beautiful Safari watched their rig go up in only 14 minutes, I doubt if even a dozen extinguishers could have helped.

Call me a knee-jerker, but I think I will install a fire detection and suppression system as shown here. It is costly, but a lot less than the alternative should tragedy strike.

Craig

[bsavage]

Wow, that is so sad and so scary.