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Essex Burns up!
Been there, experienced that. NOT fun! Two years ago we had just started a trip to New England from Eugene, OR (all of about two miles worth) when our 2017 Jeep Patriot toad started smoking from the hood. Fellow travelers alerted us to the problem, so I pulled over. By the time I got off the highway, there were flames. I did my very best trying to unhook the toad, but the fact is that it takes too much time to unhook the safety cables, unplug the lights, unplug the air brake line, just so I could pull the pin and drive the MH away from the hitch. The linkages on the front of the toad were too close to the fire to even consider disconnecting there. A motorist had stopped to give aid. He was an off duty fireman and had already called the fire department. He had two fire extinguishers, and with the one I had, we dumped all three into the fire and it suppressed it for all of 10 seconds or so. It roared back. I just couldn't manage to pull the pin due to the heat. Fortunately, the fire department arrived and knocked it down before the coach caught. That being said, it toasted the rear end of our Tiffin Allegro Breeze. The fiberglass was blistered and cracked, and the tail light lenses were melted and dripping down the back of the rig.
The question was raised whether the emergency brake was left on, in the toad with the Essex. Same could be asked of mine. Emergency/parking brakes only lock up the rear wheels. The fire in my car was in the engine compartment. The insurance company never investigated the cause to my knowledge.
I guess the reason to write all this is to say that I am unsure if there is a safe way to QUICKLY unhook a burning toad. If it happens to us again...we'll just hit it with the fire extinguisher, and walk away to a safe spot.
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Tom and Sharon Beall
2016 Tiffin Allegro Phaeton 40AH
2014 Jeep Cherokee Toadlet
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