Coach Just Burned

[Bill Sprague]

Norm, it goes without saying that you and Cynthia have my sympathy. 

As soon as I saw your photo on Facebook I called Karl.  We agreed that based only on the photo, the fire probably started below the slide.  I nominated the transfer switch as the culprit.  Karl pointed out that cord reels have "wiper contacts".  I think his theory was that if the wipers corrode or wear there will be resistance and resulting heat.

I don't know what cord reel was used in '08.  Our the cord reel in our '04 Monterey mechanically failed about year 10.  I removed it, took it apart and found broken plastic gears.  I don't recall inspecting the wipers but, internally, it seemed cheaply made.  I gave up thinking about repairing it and converted to the method used in our previous cheap trailers...coil the cord by hand.

Karl reads this forum and will probably weigh in.

[Norm Green]

I want to thank everyone for their caring thoughts.  I arrived home from Seattle last night and went out to the wrecking yard the coach is at for the first time today.  I was astonished at the amount of damage the fire caused, much more than in the photos.  The engine is sitting on the ground along with the radiator and much of the suspension.  A couple of the wheels are partially melted and the tires are Burt to the steel bands.  The coach looks like the frame is broke in half and the bottom of the coach is resting on the ground.  There is smoke damage everywhere, including inside my tool box.  I have tried to remove the damage from a few pieces and I think it is a losing battle.  I’ll probably just call everything a loss.

The coach had been sitting in the same spot in my driveway where I have kept it for the last several years.  It was plugged into a dedicated 30 amp service, same one I have always used.  It had been parked in that spot since we got home from Branson.  I use a 30 amp extension cord between the cord reel, which is not extended, and the house.  The collection at the house is dry and under cover and I bring the other end of the extension cord into the bay to connect it so it doesn’t sit on the ground.  The batteries did not burn and the damage to the rear of the coach I can’t even to begin to determine where it started.

We plan to eventually get another coach but I’m dreading having to deal with the insurance company on both the coach value and our personal items.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Lee Welbanks]

Norm, Thanks for the update, it would be really good if you could have found out where the fire had its start, sounds like it got started in the rear for some reason and had to have really gotten hot to cause all the damage.
The best of luck dealing with the insurance company.

[LaMonte Monnell]

So very sorry for this tragic fire. Glad you were not in it for sure. Hopefully the insurance company will work to get everything sorted out.

Very scary to see this  and wonder what started the fire.

[Larry Dedrick]

Norm
           I recall a coach owner who's coach burned while on the road. He contacted a private fire inspector to determine the fires source. According to the owner, he was thankful for having it done, due to the insurance company having excuses that was not in his favor. According to the owner it was resolved only because he had a certified inspector that was working for him and not the insurance company.
Good Luck and sorry for your loss.

[Fred Brooks]

   Norm, It takes a lot of courage to look at what is left of your Coach. I would guess it is overwhelming at least. After looking at all the photos I am pretty sure the slide rooms hydraulic pressurized system became the catalyst to spray that area with flame. Again I would encourage you to be proactive and have a RVIA certified technician evaluate the cause. Get ready for the insurance non-sense for they will not be kind. Blessings, Fred

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Norm,
Another possibility is a slow propane leak that ignited from a small spark, possibly generated by a relay activation in the inverter/charger. But do have an expert look at it.
Steve

[Norm Green]

A little more information.  I just spoke to my neighbor who lives across the street where the coach ended up.  He said that the tow company had to get a special truck with a big enough crane out of Memphis to load the coach on the trailer.  They also had to use a bobcat to help move the coach around.  The neighbor said it took them over 6 hours to load the coach onto the trailer once the special truck arrived.  He said the neighbor next door to him commented that she heard a large explosion about the time of the fire.  I had taken the propane out of the coach about two years ago and put in an induction stove, the coach was all electric.  The only propane on board was a small bottle for the bbq and it survived intact.

Still no clue how it started.  One question that has been bothering me is how it rolled.  With air brakes and no air the brakes on all wheels should have locked.  Any one have any explanation?

I thought I might be able to recover a few things like some of my tools and a few things in the front of the coach but everything is so covered with soot, water damaged and heavy with smoke damage, I have been unable to even come close to cleaning anything.

[Lee Welbanks]

Norm, Now that is interesting that you said that the coach rolled, so the coach has maxi (spring) brakes on the drive axle which had to have been set, once the coach air bleeds off the brakes auto set. Is the site where it was parked really steep, did the fire dept drag it out there or? I've seen the fire dept drag a vehicle out to save a building in the past. Very interesting.

[William Jordan]

Actually the spring brakes only are on the drive axle not all the wheels , all but the drive axle  are free to roll.  but still it shouldn’t have been able to roll. Only air pressure can release them. Well , backing them off with a wrench, or if they were out of adjustment and not fully applying pressure also  You certainly  would know that when you parked it. Very suspicious that it rolled and nobody admits to releasing the brakes to get it away from the house, which makes the most sense.
Truly tragic , my hopes for the best out of this .

[Mike Shumack]

One question that has been bothering me is how it rolled.  With air brakes and no air the brakes on all wheels should have locked.  Any one have any explanation?

Are you sure it rolled? It could have been dragged onto a flatbed trailer, but more likely the tow crew just "caged" the spring brakes. There is a tool (looks like a threaded rod with a "tee shape" on the end) that is manually inserted into the spring brake chamber then the nut on the rod is tightened to compress the large spring inside the brake chamber. That releases the spring brake. As mentioned, the spring brakes are only on the drive axle.

We are interested to hear what the insurance examiner of fire investigator says is the cause of the fire. Maybe that explosion reported was a tire blowing out from the fire.

[Norm Green]

The coach rolled across the street while ablaze and the fire department didn’t get there until it was in the neighbors yard.  My wife and I were out of town when it happened.  The parking brake was set when I parked the coach.  The driveway is a bit of an incline but it was on blocks and I air-leveled it.  I haven’t  heard back from the Fire Marshall yet.  I’ll go out to the coach again tomorrow but I don’t expect to find anything new.  I will try to post a couple of pictures.  This whole thing makes no sense at all. 

[Karl Welhart]

Norm,
Just my two cents... The heat disabled the parking brake and as the heat from the fire caused the air in the tank to build up pressure.  The air pressure was high enough to release the brakes allowing your coach to move downhill and then caused the air tank or air bags to explode.  Let us know what you find tomorrow.

[Gerald Farris]

Norm,
I believe that your parking brake released and allowed the coach to roll down hill because the heat on the drive axle air cans caused the springs in the air cans that apply the brakes to loose tension, therefore releasing the brake.

Gerald 

[Fred Brooks]

  Norm,
 If the fire was intense enough to melt things, it could be hot enough to make the park brake spring lose tension and as Gerald suggests the increased air pressure inside the cannister would help overpower the spring and release the slack adjuster. Fred