Suppose someone could promise you that your RV will never catch fire. Would you still keep batteries in your smoke detector? A strange case from Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, underscores just how important a working smoke detector is. In this case, an RV smoke detector saved the day.
Its own rig not on fire, but RV smoke detector saves the day
Monday evening, Feb. 17, firefighters got a report of a travel trailer on fire at the Okanagan Falls Playa RV park. Around 5:30 p.m. someone had heard an explosion, and reported flames shooting out of the rig. Fire responders arrived quickly but, as is generally the case, the rig was beyond saving.
But that’s not the case for a Class C motorhome parked in the site next to the doomed RV. The owner of the motorhome was in the rig and heard her smoke detector go off. She quickly discerned the alarm wasn’t her RV on fire, but the one next door. She was able to start up the motorhome and get it clear of the flames before serious damage was done. Investigators say the Class C suffered some “cosmetic” damage, as the owner wasn’t able to get her door shut before pulling away from the inferno.
Owner OK, but puppies lost
The owner of the destroyed trailer was away at the time of the fire. Sadly, two adult dogs and a litter of puppies were in the doomed rig. While the adults survived, six of the pups didn’t make it. However, others in the litter were pulled out, and the area’s Animal Lifeline Emergency Response Team was called out to assist. Those pups are now in their care.
Fred Dobransky, the Okanagan Falls Fire Chief, told Castanet News, “[You] should always have a working smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors. All these people run their trailers off of propane heaters. And I always say, make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in your trailers, please.”
Good advice.
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Hmm. Not sure if the smoke detector “saved” the motorhome or if the smoke detector alerted the owner to move (and thus “save” the motor home. 🤔
Exactly!
Thank you for the news, Russ and Tina. Very sad to learn of the deceased puppies. Alternately, I am very pleased that the surviving puppies are receiving good care. Glad, too, that one less RV caught fire. Have a great weekend and safe travels!
Could have left the part out about the demise of puppies…☹️🙄