The following was posted on the Facebook group RV Crashes and Disasters, where RVers point out RV incidents and accidents as a reminder to group members to be careful with their recreational vehicles — or else!
In this post, David Good explained what happened to his motorhome, but concluded “please don’t see this as too horrible. We have our lives, no one got a scratch, and our ‘stuff’ is just ‘stuff’.”
Here is what he wrote:
I don’t like to worry people with my problems on social media, but my dad thought everyone needed to know (cuts down on the unsocial number of notifications we have to send out).
Early this morning I woke up to the smoke detector. At first I thought it was someone in the park burning trash, as we slept with the windows open, but as soon as it clicked I knew it was something worse — WE were on fire.
Within seconds we had the kids out and everyone was safe. I was able to grab my “emergency items” which we always keep handy (birth certificates, insurance papers, etc) but everything else is pretty much gone.
The fire appears to have started from the fridge (according to the bomb squad guy).
WE ARE ALL DOING FINE!!! Please don’t see this as too horrible. We have our lives, no one got a scratch, and our “stuff” is just “stuff.”
Unfortunately, insurance has a maximum of $500 per personal item — meaning that my two main computers just aren’t going to be replaced. That’s the only real bummer about the whole thing. Everything else we can just replace as needed.
As far as the coach goes — I’m hopeful our insurance company (Progressive) will treat us well. We’ve had two minor claims in the past, and they’ve shown us outstanding customer service, so I’m confident they’ll take care of us here as well.
It’s a loss — but only the loss of “stuff”. We’re all in good spirits, even the kids, considering.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Okay, now that you have read this, take a few minutes to check your RV’s fire extinguisher (or hopefully two or three extinguishers).
##RVT954
I wish they had more information on the refrigerator. This is why I replaced my Norcold with a 10.1 cu ft apartment fridge. Now I just have to worry about the invertor that powers it!
We purchased a fireproof briefcase (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07VJNKPLF/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_inactive_ship_o1_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1#) to keep our most important documents in. I insisted we find a coach with a BACK DOOR (Newmar builds these back doors routinely, and we found a 2017 American Coach that has one….why don’t all manufacturers do this??!). We keep our documents case in the closet by the back door. In a fire emergency, we drop down that door, throw out that case and our go-bags, and out we go!
This is what scares me. The unknown. I plan to travel solo with dogs. How on earth would you get the dogs out? They are typically crated at night.
I had a fire in the engine bay of my brand new Newmar a couple of months ago. A hydraulic hose broke and started the fire. The only thing that kept the RV from being a total loss was the fact that I had installed a Proteng fire suppression tube in the engine bay. The tube went off an put out about 75% of the fire which gave me time to put out the rest of the fire with an extinguisher.
I would recommend that anyone with an RV have these installed. They work and saved my Brand new RV from a total loss.
So what caused the fire? Nobody has mentioned this, unless I missed something?
Hi, Dalmom. Here’s a statement from the owner of the RV (which was included in the article): “The fire appears to have started from the fridge (according to the bomb squad guy).” Scary stuff, but at least they all got out OK. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Another RV fridge fire. Yet the industry keeps selling these bombs. 12V compressor or Residential seem much safer. Heating ammonia with an open flame… anyone see an issue?
I wonder if Fridge Defend could have prevented the fire since it started with the fridge. Does anyone have this installed? https://www.arprv.com/index.php
I have one of these installed and came home one night to see the red light glowing through the fridge screen outside showing my fridge defend had worked. Don’t know the reason why it overheated and shut off. After trying the five times to restart and not being successful it stopped. I checked everything, reset it and it is still working.
Thanks for your response. I think I will sleep easier after I have it installed.
If it took the fire marshal to determine the source of the fire, then looking for the source yourself and locating the fire extinguisher then gaining access to the source I would think that it would be best to gather up a few cherished items, kids, pets, papers and get out. Common sources like refrigerators, converters, fuel fittings,propane fittings, electrical switches and other sources are often very difficult to locate and access.
I HAD Progressive insurance when I had an accident in my Sprinter van. It was the worst fistfight with them to get it repaired all the parts they wanted to install were from auto wrecker yards. I had the work done at a Dealer that specialized in Mercedes, BMW’s and the manager said it was the worst experience dealing with an insurance company in 20 years of working in auto collision repair. Watch them as they WILL try to give you the lowest amount possible.
Sorry for your loss! And to all of those naysayers that keep telling people that the NotSoCold Norcold four door RV fridges are safe with the black box recall device, keep dreaming until one day your coach is gone too. Got rid of my fire hazard back in 2012 replaced with a Samsung 18 cu/ft residential. Best upgrade I have ever done to my coach.
Don’t forget to check your rv fire extinguisher for the recall!!!! We had recalled ones in three units! Also had some in our barn and other places we found that were recalled!!! All our boats and friends boats were in recall! I have noticed visiting friends in their rv that the extinguisher is right by front door and they had ones recalled and didn’t know about the recall!
If you use those computers for “work” I would think they would be covered under business insurance.