Fire in Towed Vehicle Creates a Scare

The Moores were grandparents again. Their youngest daughter had just given birth to her second child a new baby girl. They were headed over the mountains in their RV to visit and help their daughter and her family. They both agreed that towing their Saturn behind the RV would make it much easier to help with grocery shopping and errands once they got into the city.

The mountain pass that divided the Moores and their daughter was about 100 miles. About 15 miles from the summit, a passing car drove up beside the Moores' RV. The passenger in the car began motioning and pointing to the back of the Moores' RV. They looked in their back-up camera but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. The other motorist finally scribbled, "Fire in back," on a piece of paper and held it up against the window for the Moores to see. At that point, their hearts sank. As they looked in the side mirrors, they saw flames shooting from the Saturn.

The Moores took the next exit and pulled onto a gravel road. They immediately grabbed their fire extinguishers from the RV and exited the vehicle. Now that the vehicles were at a standstill, the flames blew towards the RV. They stood back and aimed the fire extinguisher at the left front tire, the source of the fire. Within five minutes they had the fire extinguished. Help arrived shortly, and a local fireman ensured the fire was completely out. Most of the damage was to the car; however, the back of the RV suffered minimal cosmetic damage.

The Moores called the insurance claim hotline to report the accident. Aon Recreation Insurance provided coverage for both their RV and auto, which made reporting the claim easy. Since the RV could still be driven, the Moores finished their trip. They arranged for the claim adjuster to meet them at their daughter's house to evaluate the damage to both vehicles.

There are several ways to reduce your risk in an emergency. First, always have a plan. Most everyone gets nervous and scared when an emergency strikes, but having a plan will help you perform better under pressure. Discuss possible scenarios with the passengers of your RV, including each person's anticipated actions or responsibilities if a fire occurs. Everyone who rides in the RV should know what to do in an emergency.

Next, make sure your RV has five fire extinguishers that are in working condition. It's very important you and your passengers know where to find all five in your RV and how to use them. Mac McCoy, a Fire & Life Safety instructor and fire expert, recommends all RV owners keep fire extinguishers in the following locations: by the front door, in the kitchen, in the bedroom, outside in an unlocked compartment, and in the towing or towed vehicle.

RVers with a black and white back-up camera should consider investing in a color camera. Flames cannot be distinguished in black and white and may look like sunlight glare. A color camera will help you better monitor the back of your RV and vehicle in tow.

If you do experience a fire in a towed vehicle, the following tips will help reduce your loss. When pulling off the road, do not pull into an area with dry grass or other flammable material where the fire could potentially spread to the ground. Pull off onto asphalt, gravel or dirt.

Once you stop your RV in a safe area, you must act fast. As you were driving your RV, the flames were directed away from the vehicle. However, once the vehicle is stopped, the flames will change direction. The fire on the vehicle in tow will now shoot straight up and towards your RV.

If the cause of the fire is a blown tire, be aware tire bolts can explode and eject from the vehicle. The safest place to fight a tire fire is 45 degrees to the front tire if the fire is in the front, or 45 degrees to the rear tire if the fire is in the back.