More of our fiver fire Photos

[RandyA]

I was able to upload some additional photos to Postimage.org

I hope these come through OK.

We were sleeping in this bed.  Clothes on bed were some of those destroyed by the fire.

Smoke damage to opposite end of fiver.  All electronic equipment and TV were ruined by heat and smoke.

Bedroom ceiling after fire was put out.

Note melted plastic from AC grill hanging from the ceiling.  Arrows point to some of Nancy's Disney collectibles destroyed by fire.

Bedroom closet/washer and dryer (melted).  Clothes in the closet were on plastic hangers.  Note the metal hooks still on the rod and clothes fallen to the closet floor.  All ruined.

Golf Cart

Bedroom to bath wall or my side of the bed.  Watch, gold chain with a gold Cross all melted.  Kindle, useless TV remotes remain.

Bathroom ceiling

 

 

[SuiteSuccess]

Unbelievable.

[HERO Maker]

You got blessed!  Terrible about your rig, but you got safely through it.

[PaHunter]

wow

[Jim & Wilma]

Thankfully you made it out of this inferno.  

We all know we need to be prepared but these photos sure press the case.  Thanks for sharing.
 

[DuffMan]

I know it's a terrible experience that I pray I never have to go through. 

If you could roll back the clock, what would you have done differently from a financial perspective?  ie was your insurance adequate to cover your losses?  Would you have added other coverage?  Different insurance?  I guess I'm asking for a "lessons learned" from a financial perspective.

[dblr]

All I can say is WOW, so glad you both got out unhurt, but I can say I will be looking at things as I am sure many more here will also, thank you for sharing this terrible thing with all of us here it might just save someone. Wish I was making the ECR this year hope to see you somewhere down the road. Safe travels.

[lappir]

I think you have to give credit to the Fire Department that was able to put the fire out before it consumed everything. I have not seen an actual RV fire, but have heard once they start they are almost impossible to extinguish. Very glad you were able to exit the vehicle, sorry for the loss of your possessions. Thanks for the photos. 

 

Rod

[jkoenig24]

That night, your Guardian Angels were working overtime. I'm so happy you all made it out. Property can be replaced. 

[RandyA]

15 hours ago, DuffMan said:

I know it's a terrible experience that I pray I never have to go through. 

If you could roll back the clock, what would you have done differently from a financial perspective?  ie was your insurance adequate to cover your losses?  Would you have added other coverage?  Different insurance?  I guess I'm asking for a "lessons learned" from a financial perspective.

Well, I prayed I never would - but it did.  No knocks on the power of prayer and God.  He woke us up and got us out - my earlier prayers were most likely for the wrong thing. I now give prayers of thanks rather than those asking for things.   Don't ever be an "It can't ever happen to me" guy.

Insurance for RV's and especially contents coverage can vary greatly from company to company.  Last year when Blue Sky dropped out of the market we switched to one of the few still writing for HDT' and fivers as a pair.  While talking with the agent we discovered that with "regular" RV insurance (150 days a year or less) our personal effects were insured at a max of $2,000 for both fiver and truck.  But, full-time insurance (which actually worked out cheaper for us) could give us a higher personal effects coverage.  I elected for $7K, but honestly, don't remember if that was the cap or if it was as high as I felt necessary at the time.  Different?  Well, at least $10K if that option is there would have been better.  Again, count everything.  Eyeglasses, jewelry, electronics, pots and pans, food, clothes, shoes, vacuum cleaner, cosmetics, dental appliances, prescription medication at actual cost (not insurance co-pay), bedding, towels - everything that did not come in the RV!

Some of the folks in the park have reported that they have NO contents insurance on their RV policy and that coverage is provided through their homeowner's insurance. Most all of those folks are just snowbirds for 90 or so days and don't consider full-timer insurance. One park-made friend told me his was 10% of contents coverage under his homeowner's policy.  They had $120K contents coverage with their HW and felt that gave them $12 on RV.  Of course, if you are full time you may not have a brick and mortar home so that could be moot.   I have not even contacted my homeowner policy writer at this point, something I will do next week.

If you are traveling more than 150 days a year, full-timers insurance may give you more coverage, including additional liability coverage at your campsite and may allow you to have a policy written in your declared domicile state rather than a high rate location.  For us, declaring SD as our Domicile and having FT insurance was much less expensive for the same coverage than if we had chosen Virginia or Tennessee where still own dirt with sticks and bricks.

Bottom line here is to figure what your valuation would be in a total loss situation (it will surprise you!), take that figure and start looking at your policies to see what coverage you actually have.  Then, if you are not satisfied with your coverage, start shopping or increase it with your agent (if you can).  I am not an insurance broker or agent and actually know very little about what is and isn't best.  Anything more than a flash fire at a stove, while you are standing there watching with a fire extinguisher in hand, will most likely end up being a total loss fire in an RV.  Fire in an RV moves faster than a nudist that just spilled hot coffee in their lap.

[Sehc]

Randy. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. It will help someone else I'm sure. I hope you will be made whole again very soon.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 3/17/2018 at 7:05 PM, RandyA said:

 

  Anything more than a flash fire at a stove, while you are standing there watching with a fire extinguisher in hand, will most likely end up being a total loss fire in an RV. 

Fire in an RV moves faster than a nudist that just spilled hot coffee in their lap.

 

As a paid FF.  I experienced several Mobile Home fires during my 30 yrs.  With and w/out occupants. There is *NO* comparison between a sicks & bricks (bricks & mortar) home and anything that is  *not*  protected by residential fire and building codes! - Think drywall or lath and plaster on walls, ceilings, etc.

The city I worked for rigidly maintained a "5 min or less"  response time to any location for fires and/or medical emergencies.  Seems like a long time - but it's really not.

Whether it's a Mobile Home or an RV - -  unless a Fire Company(ies) is/are  "right next door" - - for whatever reason - -  a rapid response will only save the pad!

Randy's coffee analogy is right-on !!

.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 hours ago, Pappy Yokum said:

 

As a paid FF.  I experienced several Mobile Home fires during my 30 yrs.  With and w/out occupants. There is *NO* comparison between a sicks & bricks (bricks & mortar) home and anything that is  *not*  protected by residential fire and building codes! - Think drywall or lath and plaster on walls, ceilings, etc.

 

 

 

I think the vinyl wallboard found in many of the mobile homes and RV's acts as an accelerant.  The wood substructure would burn, but not as fast as the plastic covering it.

[Pete Kildow]

Scary part, is how many of us could get out. That escape hatch, window would be tough. I know for sure. If it were me, there may just be broken bones. Because that 6ft fall would sure hurt .

[JPL]

Randy   What a scary sight! The Lord was looking out for you. May he continue to do so. I think you were suppose to be back up here this week so hope you had a safe trip back. Thanks for that insurance info. i have no idea what value we have on  the 5er. I'm going to get Shirley to call the insurance people tomorrow and ask. The answer will probably be interesting. Anybody that spends time in a RV should look at those pictures and check out how ready they are if something like that was to happen to them/us. Thanks again for sharing that tragedy with us. We all are so happy that the both of you were able to get out. Hope to see you at the ECR.   Pat 

 

 

The Old Sailor

[Pappy Yokum]

5 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

I think the vinyl wallboard found in many of the mobile homes and RV's acts as an accelerant.  The wood substructure would burn, but not as fast as the plastic covering it.

 

Hope you aren't comparing  -or confusing-  "wallboard"  with gypsum board,   "drywall",  or - "Sheetrock" (which is a brand name).

I'm sure you're not - but to clarify terms:

Modern drywall will have a fire rating of up to one hour - depending on thickness  and composition.

Your thoughts are correct - "wallboard" covering (whatever brand or type) in mobile homes and RVs has zero (NO) fire rating, and as you indicated - it's nothing but a  "nice looking" accelerant..

.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

On 3/19/2018 at 10:31 PM, Pappy Yokum said:

 

Hope you aren't comparing  -or confusing-  "wallboard"  with gypsum board,   "drywall",  or - "Sheetrock" (which is a brand name).

I'm sure you're not - but to clarify terms:

Modern drywall will have a fire rating of up to one hour - depending on thickness  and composition.

Your thoughts are correct - "wallboard" covering (whatever brand or type) in mobile homes and RVs has zero (NO) fire rating, and as you indicated - it's nothing but a  "nice looking" accelerant..

.

Yes.... Not sheetrock or drywall.  

All the interior vinyl wall coverings are glued to thin luan plywood, maybe 1/8" or 3/32 at best.

[jenandjon]

So the moral of the story here is don't park your golf cart under the camper? You were so lucky to get out. I don't know how the whole thing didn't go up in seconds. I seen an old class C camper burn a few years ago. Burned its self out in 15 - 20  minutes.  This is something I always think about when we go to bed. If this thing goes up we will have seconds to get out.  Thankfully my wife is a light sleeper.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 3/23/2018 at 4:39 AM, jenandjon said:

So the moral of the story here is don't park your golf cart under the camper?

Another unfortunate golf cart parking location!

RV Net 5th wheel forum.  Thread started  5-2-18.

"Interesting thing we saw in Yuma. Two burnt 5th wheels"

Poster saw two 5ths damaged by fire in Yuma.  After various "guesses" by posters as to the cause,  apparently someone "in the know" (see 2nd page - post by "RV Crazy") stated one was due to an electrical fire in the fuse panel.

The second one was due to golf cart batteries -

Golf cart was parked under the 5th wheel "overhang".

.

 

[bobsallyh]

We left Yuma May 1. Before that I went by that Carrilite several times a week. It burnt before the crowd started to leave at the end of March. Before the fire, there was a quad/ATV parked under the bedroom slide, across from the Golf Cart that you see in the picture,  that had a "For Sale" sign on it. After the fire it was still there and looked melted down. The quad/ATV now is missing. I think it is a park employee's site. I stopped in the park before April 10 and there was a gentleman walking nearby. I asked him what happened. Well the guy was evidently French Canadian and I had a hard time understanding him. I did seem to understand that there was a propane grill under the slide??? It will be interesting to see how long that rig sets there. Just west of there, a sushi joint burnt down after this RV fire and a Class C that was a complete meltdown that was parked behind the restaurant was rollbacked out several days after the fire.