A Women's RV Forum run by Women RVer's!

They showed on tv here a couple of times,this weekend a Newmar Dutch Star on fire I think in Michigan recently. Happened a guy whose business is RV doctor and his son saw it, pulled a woman and child out the rear window exit and unhooked the guys toad, and pushed it back to safety. They were very lucky because through all this the driver was running back and forth using up extinguishers instead of pulling family out emergency exits. Interview with the older gentleman driving said he heard something with driver side front tire. Got out to check as he saw smoke. Within seconds fire was spreading through front of the rv. Most of the fire was caught on video.
Big point here, if you see/hear a problem, everyone should get out immediately, not wait for someone to get out and tell you why there is smoke!!!!
Because it was clearly stated by the driver that it started in tire, that says to me he likely did not have a TPMs tire pressure monitoring system, and or did not check his tires at each stop. We use a digital temp reader on each bus tire at least every two to three hours when we stop for a break as well as thump them and look at them as well as check pressure in mornings.
He tried to put it out with extinguisher before evacuating the woman and young girl inside??????? Wow. First rule is everyone out then call 911 whether a stick and brick or an RV.
I was so relieved no one died in the fire because in minutes that nice Dutch Star was history.
Beth feel free to move this if you feel there is a better section for it.
Velda

Didn't hear anything about hat here Velda, but that was definitely not a smart move by the driver. Family comes first. Thank goodness for good Samaritans. I don't think people realize how fast those things burn. My neighbors had an experience like that last fall after traveling with friends in their big Class A to said friends ranch in Montana. Friends parked the MH by the house and one morning neighbor happened to be outside and saw smoke coming from behind house where MH was parked and gave the alarm. Turned out that the refrigerator had sparked a fire and totaled the MH. Had he not been outside, the house could have gone with it. Nobody inside the MH though, but made for quite a spectacular fire and nothing left after it was over.

Yes, people out first!! I'm kind of a fanatic about that, and for good reason (long sad story there).

Loss of an RV is a problem, but loss of a person -- or serious injury to a person -- is a tragedy. Tragedy is very often the result of stupid behaviour, which means it is very often avoidable!

Correction, it was apparently Florida, unlike what our news reported. Here is video link.

http://mediacdn.wral.com:1935/vods3/_de ... ylist.m3u8

I could not get that file to open. Here's another link https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10 ... 39&fref=nf

I did a lot thinking about this while driving today. One, unless the woman in the RV had problems we don't know about, had I been the driver I would have expected her to get herself and the children out. And to have been smart enough to get out. So I'm not going to blame him on that one with the info at hand.

Next, I don't have tire monitors and was told my blow out would have occurred even if I had. In my limited observance, I've personally known more than 3 people who have had car fires and no one who has had an rv fire. I've personally seen more cars on fire than I could count. I've never seen an rv on fire. That said, I know they happen and how fast both can go up. So my question to ask of you is, did anyone here have tire systems on any vehicle before getting an rv? Do you now have them on your cars?

Do not get me wrong. I'm not against them. But I won't say what happened couldn't have happened with them. It's tragic, and I'm so glad that they all DID get out, albeit not when I think they should have, and requiring being rescued.

Beth, You know me and I have had an RV burn up!!! Lyn

SoCalGalcas wrote:Beth, You know me and I ave had an RV burn up!!! Lyn

Didn't know that. Yikes! Do you have the tire pressure monitors?

SoCalGalcas wrote:Beth, You know me and I ave had an RV burn up!!! Lyn

Didn't know that. Yikes! Do you have the tire pressure monitors?

I saw an RV on the side of the freeway on the way back from California, that was burned right down to the blackened metal frame, nothing else left. Had I not heard the report about an RV fire on the radio a bit earlier, I would not have known it was once an RV. After seeing that, I wouldn't even bother with a fire extinguisher if I was in an RV that was on fire. I'd be out the door (or window) in a split second! They burn fast and furious.
That family was lucky! The people who helped them were amazing!