BigHorn fire

[Paul_in_MN]

Hi All,

This thread is not intended to demean any of Heartland's products, but rather to hopefully learn something that might save someone's life. The 53 pictures available show fire damage, but yet the 5er was still towable to the insurance salvage auction lot. I suspect that we do not want our small children to view these photos unless we have previewed them to determine that they are age appropriate, your call.

I can not provide a specific URL to the 2008 Heartland Bighorn, because it seems to be part of a long page. Maybe someone is a lot more net savy than I am (most are!).

The trailer I am referring to is on the www.crankyape.com website. Go to the left side column and chose "RV" and you will open a page of about 75 RVs up for auction. The 2008 Heartland Bighorn is about #50 something in the scroll list. Below its first photo is a button that opens the photo file of 53 photos.

If you view the photos, what do you think the cause of fire was? As heat and toxic smoke always rises to the ceiling, the damage to the bedroom was huge. I think we can see that in case of any fire, we need to immediately get all people OUT. Thank goodness for the smoke alarms that give us a few more seconds to get out. Do all members of your party know how to open the main door at night in total darkness? Maybe this is something we should all practice, especially if we are bringing along the grandkids. We may know the latch "trick", but that is of no value if we bail out the bedroom escape window. I have taken to keeping a flashlight on the kitchen counter top right next to the door, for many uses, not just emergencies.

What do you see here, and what lessons can we learn from these photos?

May your every trip be safe!!

Paul_in_MN

 

[2010augusta]

Here is the direct link to the trailer.

 

[jmgratz]

Sad to look at those photos. How did it start? Electrical? Must of gotten put out fast as RV fires are usually totally gone.

 

[Rigmover06]

Good Posting

Yes Paul, your right.
How many of us, pretty much all have either kids or grand kids. Fire drills and fire safety should definitely be practiced even when holidaying with our 5th wheels.

Once again, Good Call.
Dan

 

[JohnDar]

From what I can tell from the photos, the fire appears to have started in the rear corner of the living room slide. The photo below shows the most damage I could see, and there is another showing smoke and heat damage on the exterior over that back window in the slide. This area appears to have the most fire impingement damage to it. You can see the insides of the cabinets above that area are relatively clean, indicating the fire stayed outside them. The rest of the damage in the trailer is the result of heat convection and smoke. Without a close up examination (and I'm not a certified Fire Investigator), trying to pinpoint a true cause and origin is not possible. Electrical or careless smoking or ???

 

[SmokeyBare]

I'd place the source of the Fire on the couch which has been removed. Looking at the Living room side photos... the location of the couch... there is no fire or heat or smoke damage behind the couch area. The heavy damage is as John stated, above the couch area.

If it was electrical, such as the wall light between the couch and table... it would have burnt it off the wall. if it was at the wall outlet it would have burned behind the couch. If it was the electrical air pump of the air bed/couch there would be burn below the top of the couch... in the pump location.

The cause could be also placed at the ceiling fan. I've seen house fires started by these as well. We don't get a photo of the ceiling above the slide rooms... but for sure it wasn't at the kitchen stove or at the entertainment center.

MICE WITH MATCHES !!!! I'll stick with that.....

Not good to be looking at photos of what we LIVE IN !! GASP !!!

 

[porthole]

From what I can tell from the photos, the fire appears to have started in the rear corner of the living room slide. The photo below shows the most damage I could see, and there is another showing smoke and heat damage on the exterior over that back window in the slide. This area appears to have the most fire impingement damage to it. You can see the insides of the cabinets above that area are relatively clean, indicating the fire stayed outside them. The rest of the damage in the trailer is the result of heat convection and smoke. Without a close up examination (and I'm not a certified Fire Investigator), trying to pinpoint a true cause and origin is not possible. Electrical or careless smoking or ???

What I don't get is the obvious lack of water staining in most of the coach but typical of what I would expect to see in the bathroom.
And for the amount of fire damage inside there is very little exterior damage.

 

[SmokeyBare]

They got to the fire quickly... they put water on the seat of the fire... I would guess they gained entry via the rear window... wide open then to direct the hose stream. IF...and a big IF... the fire started on the air bed/couch... the hose stream would have been directed to that first and not sprayed all over the RV walls.

Steam from the water stream quickly helped extinguished the fire that was creeping across the ceiling and pushing down the walls. Most likely the Fire vented it self by melting the Ceiling vent covers which must have alerted others to the fire... and aided in reducing the build up of heated gases and additional spread of Fire to the rest of the walls of the RV.

Keep in mind the Slide Rooms were Open at the time of the fire. The Bed room door was also open to the living room which you can see by the melted and burn to the window valances.

The bath Room door was closed, as there was only heavy smoke damage to those walls and floor. The Closet where the stacked washer/Dryer goes... had a few small items on the floor as noted by the clean spots where smoke damage could not get under those items to stain the floor.

 

[porthole]

Granted, whoever put it out did so very quickly. Still there is a lot of heat damage all the way to the front, and looking at the roof, all of the vents appear intact.

The white spots in the W/D closet = footprints.

If it was a well built house, well insulated, I would think that it self extinguished, but the water staining in the shower and commode room suggest water was applied.

And the table and chairs look remarkably in good shape being next to the point of origin, assuming we are all correct in that there is a missing burned up couch.

This is one I would like to read the report on. Will be taking these pics to work tomorrow and do a table top inspection with our fire investigators.

 

[porthole]

Curious as to what this is on the floor

 

[SmokeyBare]

Not sure Duane,

Looks like some type of melted trim... but beyond the ribbons of burnt material there is some kind of pattern on the floor as well.. kind of like it was embedded into the carpet, melting some kind of pattern in the carpet. Ceiling trim between the sheets of ceiling may be some kind of plastic material... although I've not pulled one off to know. The pattern almost looks like it could have been made by the Ceiling fan, having fallen from the ceiling.

With this much heat inside... have the roof vents been replaced? Doubt it though... why would someone spend the $$ on a total loss... The Fantastic Fan vent cover is in fact thicker than the typical roof vent.... but still... that much heat on the ceiling had to reach the vents... ohhh the mystery continues !!!

Watch it be caused by a Meteor from a distant planet...

 

[jimtoo]

Just a guess, but I would think it is the melted plastic from the A/C or roof vent.

 

[wdk450]

VIN Sticker

Did anyone note that the GVW on the sticker was 14,600 lbs and the recommended tire inflation was "80 PSI" ???

 

[porthole]

My sticker is 14K and 80 PSI.

 

[azbound]

Compared to pictures I have seen of other RV fires they either got the fire extremely fast or this BH was determined to survive. And I agree from the photos it appears the point of origin was most likely was in the area of the rear portion of the big slide.

 

[TXBobcat]

I am not an expert by any means. I was looking at the microwave. It seems to have the most damage. The Refer actually looks good. 3400RL Built 6/22/07. It shows the Vin. I am sure Heartland knows who owned the trailer.

The picture above looks like the carpet was hot and someone's shoe print imprinted in the carpet. Was the slides out or in. Was wondering if the fire occured while someone was in it or was it being towed when it caught fire.

BC

 

[JohnDar]

I am not an expert by any means. I was looking at the microwave. It seems to have the most damage. The Refer actually looks good. 3400RL Built 6/22/07. It shows the Vin. I am sure Heartland knows who owned the trailer.

The picture above looks like the carpet was hot and someone's shoe print imprinted in the carpet. Was the slides out or in. Was wondering if the fire occured while someone was in it or was it being towed when it caught fire.

BC

I don't think the microwave had anything to do with it. The damage to it is from heat, not fire. Looking at the entertainment slide photos, you can see some heavy charring near the top, yet the lower areas are clean. That area would be directly across from the suspected origin. Looks like the fire may have actually started on the arm of the sofa, since the heaviest damage is on that small window. Looking at the roof shots, only the Fantastic Fan cover appears melted, but it is still there. It might have opened automatically and vented a lot of heat until it failed. The sofa, if it was the seat of origin, probably got tossed out the back window by the FD during overhaul.

 

[4ever]

I agree with Paul in mn that we all could learn from this about safety and being prepared. We can never be prepared enough. I boated Lake Erie for many years and ALWAYS went through all the safety issues with guests before we left dock. Did this even with guest that came frequently.

Ted

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Could have been any number of things: careless smoking materials, electric blanket left on and piled on the couch, a lit candle forgotten about.

 

[porthole]

Good training video being passed around.

Not posting this to "Monday morning quarterback" what these guys did. Rather to you you all the concept of just how quickly things can go bad and why you are better off "getting out and staying out"

As you watch this keep ion mind this is not a "closed room" which would have made it even more dangerous.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/2009/10/firefighters-catch-fire-during-dc-fire.html

Don't bother with all the mindless comments at the bottom of the page, the video is more important.