I'm literally crying, so sad to see this

[scotzsue]

 

[boxtraveller]

Sending you our very best wishes and hope that the insurance does what is necessary and neither of you suffer any adverse effects from a terrifying episode.

 

[Innkeeper]

Wow really sorry for you. Really don't know what to say. More than anything your both OK. Guess that doesn't help really. Hope the insurance doesn't that the pish

 

[Aerialmark]

Im so sorry to read about this. I and many others on here know what you mean by its not just another MH. Its an extension of your house and anything that happens to it like your house is very personal. Im glad you weren't seriously hurt and hope you get things sorted and back on an even keel very soon.

 

[KUSKUS]

Cant Imagine what your going through.
Hope you get it sorted soon.

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[Wagoneer]

What an awful thing to happen...and after just a few days of ownership. Our thoughts and commiserations go out to you both. I know we would be absolutely gutted.

From your update (post #174) it does sound like an electrical malfunction. Have you contacted the previous owner to check whether he's added any recent electrical mods ?

The B-pillar, next to the RHD drivers seat, contains the electrical transfer cabling between Fiat cab and hab electrics. The roof-mounted AC unit is probably powered from the kitchen area (this would draw lots of power when on EHU). For any electrical overload, you would hopefully expect the fuses to blow or mains to trip.

All the very best of luck going forwards. Expect nicholsong will be able to give you good legal advice.

 

[dulvil]

I sort of know how you feel, We we’re driving home one day and within seconds couldn’t see or breathe. I screeched to a stop on the A5 and screemed to the wife to get out with the dogs.
I tried to put the fire out with the extinguisher but couldn’t see.
Dogs and wife got out but I got a good dose off smoke inhalation, ambulance /fire/police came and put me on oxygen, it was frightening
Examination by the fire brigade was that the battery under my seat had moved and shorted on the seat post causing the battery fire.
We were lucky and insurance paid out very quickly

 

[B-well]

Not at all funny but i thought this may distract you from all the misery all your family are going through. wishing you happy news to come.

 

[RedFrame]

Sooo sorry to hear about this, glad you're both ok and hope the insurance are quick to resolve for you.

Cheers
Red and Chris.

 

[Red Dragon]

Hi Paul and Nikki just read about your terrible event, thank goodness neither of you were hurt what a tragedy hopefully the insurance will alleviate some of your pain and shock.
Steve & Jinxia.

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[bigwood]

I had to go out to put something in the motorhome this morning. For some unknown reason I checked the smoke alarm. Nothing happened when I pressed the button so I checked the battery. To my horror there was no battery in it !!!!!! .
Neither of us remember taking the battery out. That was a bit of shock to us considering what has happened. It must have been like that when we were away recently.
New battery fitted and a spare one on the shopping list.

 

[AndyB57]

A van is always much more than just “a van” - it’s one of the family so it’s absolutely heartbreaking and devastating when something like this happens.
So glad to hear that you’re both ok physically but mentally it must be really tough at the moment. Hope the insurers are swift in their response and you’re back on the road again soon.

 

[Drexxer]

I cannot believe what you are both going through, finally finding "The Van" then this

Absoloutely heartbreaking

 

[haganap]

Thank you again everyone, and thank you for the wonderful messages of support offering anything from help with the insurance to loans of motorhomes. I've been and helped so many funsters since Fun began and never ever thought I would need or see the day to have so much Karma thrown our way. From giving out those Fun business cards on the very first meets with Jim and Sian to this day, nothing ever amazes me that the kindness that is given by so many to so few. I know it all sounds really "gushy" but I genuinely mean it Nikki pinkgin and I are so humbled with your kind messages right now.

So today, was the day we sort of dreaded. Our chance to get in the motorhome and see what was or was not salvageable. Pretty much nothing. Not a thing came out of that motorhome that was any good. 20 years of our motorhoming life just laid bare in front of us. Things that we had from the beginning to now, special shot glasses of places we had seen and been. Things that meant nothing to anyone but everything to us. I truly empathise with anyone that has had a house fire. It must be the most awful thing in the world to lose all your possessions. The worse loss is the little wooden plaque the lady who gave us our first Newfoundland dog made for us when she passed away 2 years ago this week. Knowing how much Tara loved to travel with us, she made it and gave it to us so that she could continue to come with us on our journey. Thank you to dulvil for sharing your experience, i was beginning to think we were the only people this had ever happened to.
I took some photos of the damage to share. I know some people say you should be careful sharing these things as insurers monitor the internet but I have nothing to hide, only advice to say to others, check your smoke alarms, regularly at home and in the van.

So today I rang the insurers, quite frankly, they showed no empathy, literally took my details and said a claims assessor will be in touch. I then had a text from a claims investigator telling me that they would be posting yes posting our my claim forms and then they would be in touch when they received them. In this day and age they post them apparently. They are coming to collect the van on Wednesday and thats where we are with it right now.

so here's some pics, and thank you again everyone.

 

[AndyPK]

Words fail me…….

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[canopus]

Looks a bit of a mess. So have you any idea what caused the fire Paul?

 

[Pilote87]

haganap My heart bleeds for you as I know what you are going through. Around 03.30 last Thursday morning I needed to make a bathroom visit and realised the electricity system had tripped. So I went to check the dist board and saw flames coming from the area around a Velux in our visitors studio apartment. Quick call to 112 on the mobile (that works in the UK too, I believe) and a pump appliance arrived in about 12 - 15 minutes, followed by another some ten minutes later. Now, we are in the habit of clearing soft furnishings and other items from our camping car in the studio so I grabbed what I could whilst waiting for the first responders to arrive. They were saved from damage from the water and the, seemingly, tons of plaster and board they pulled from the ceiling. They left around 05:00.

A phone call to our insurance company around 09:00 led to an assessor coming to take photos by 10:45 with the promise that he would arrange for a tarpaulin to be put over the 4m x 3m hole in the roof as soon as possible. He was just about to leave when we spotted smoke coming out of the hole, so another call to 112. This time the first appliance came from somewhere in the Dordogne. I was asked it I had a suitable ladder to get up on the roof. Sorry, no, was my reply. I don't think everybody has a roofing ladder, do they? He sent for a hydraulic platform which arrived just after an electricity board vehicle arrive to make the system safe. I'd already done that. Then another pump appliance arrived eventually followed by two gendarmerie vehicles, each with two officers in. So, lined up along our single-track road we had three fire appliances, an electricity board vehicle and two police cars. At one time, there were 18 people in the studio.

For us, the clean up is easier. All the rubbish can be loaded into my trailer. The remnants of the roof will be taken away by the contractors, once they get started.

Here is hoping everything is sorted to your satisfaction very soon. Our camping car is our means of returning to see our family, so is vital.

Best wishes

John

 

[dazandandrea]

so sorry for you.

 

[emjaiuk]

At least with the short time you’ve had it there shouldn’t be any problem with establishing the value of the MH itself. I probably shouldn’t have said that.

 

[Carol]

Looks a bit of a mess. So have you any idea what caused the fire Paul?

Ken check out Paul's post 174 he has explained it on there.

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[Minxy]

They are coming to collect the van on Wednesday and thats where we are with it right now.

I assume 'they' are the recovery agents for the insurer, if so make sure you take a load more photos not only of the interior but all the kit you have on the exterior etc so you don't forget what is on/in the MH and remove anything that you may want, even if you're not sure now, once it's gone you'll be hard pushed to get access to it again.

 

[Slopey]

Ken check out Paul's post 174 he has explained it on there.

Was it on EHU at the time? Not clear from the post. Quite worrying either way. For it to be arcing it would seem it would have had to be on EHU? You wouldn't get arcing from a 12v system? Unless there was an inverter in the way somewhere? Interested to know.

 

[Mikey RV]

Properly no need to mention this but get as much info about the motorhome as possible for the insurance company, photos from the advert, extras fitted, personal belongings, costs etc. Hope it all gets sorted for you ASP.

 

[MitchandJenny]

Thank you everyone for your kind words and thoughts and the numerous messages and phone calls. It means so much to Nikki and I right now.
I know jo public will say "it's just a camper" but it's far deeper than that, it's our lives it's what we do. For nearly 20 years we have toured the country and abroad, skied surfed and used the van for events as well as the one thing above all, met so many wonderful and interesting people, some right wringers too.

So today is the morning after the night before and when we look out our window we just want to and do cry as we see our van that we searched for in tatters. We were due to go skiing in just 4 weeks and had been busy prepping everything.

We never slept a wink all night tossing and turning wondering what happened what went wrong and why us. I know a few people have asked and keep asking, "what happened". We genuinely have no idea, we had a great night away in Preston, a night near home in Northwich, one on electric, one not on electric. All seemed fine, the van drove beutifully and there was no indication of anything being wrong. When we arrived home, we done what we had done 100 times before, got in it to clean it and I done the outside lockers. As the van was new I looked in the lockers a little more as you do looking for space of where things may or may not go for upcoming trips.
When looking in the locker with the electrics in I could hear what I thought was Arcing, and Nikki shouted from inside she could smell smoke, she dashed out the van, by this time a fire under the drivers seat area had really taken hold. I utilized my fire extinguisher and my neighbors came over with theirs but there use was futile.

I dashed around trying to take out things like the gaslow and disconnect the batteries to prevent any explosion whilst Nikki called the fire brigade, I then spent time burning my fingers as I tried to rescue a few personal items again to no avail as the fire had really taken hold. The fire brigade were excellent and were in attendance within 6 minuets and took over. They were initially very concerned due to the high level of flames and heat as well as the risk of explosion from gas and a full tank of diesel on board. They spent over 2.5 hours on the van dousing it out but it kept coming "live" again. eventually they realized the fire had spread above the cab bed and didn't know there was a drop down bed up there. It then fell down and revealed a fire still up there which they put out. They simply stated that it was an electrical fire.

We had so many personal belongings in the van, I had 1000s of pounds worth of clothes, just things like my lovely weird fish jumpers, dancing shoes etc but also my expensive North Face Ski Jacket that Nikki had literally only just put in.

So we are still very much in shock, I rang the insurers yesterday and logged the claim but they are all closed of course. We now have to wait and see what happens from them and how honest they will be. I just wish they would come and take it away, It's making the whole close stink and also the smoke ripped through our house and areas of our home stink too.

again thank you for your messages and I will update when I can, I hope no one minds, it's literally helping us stay sane in a very difficult time that many would not understand.

It doesn’t repair or replace anything, but I hope hope our messages help…
Wrap them round you when it gets unbearable and good luck with everything..
From us all.
Mitch and Jenny..
X. X

 

[Riverbankannie]

Your lovely dog tag could be saved, I am sure. For example it could be set in some resin to seal it, if it is fragile and that would also mask any smoke smell.
CraftyCaver ?

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[nicholsong]

I sort of know how you feel, We we’re driving home one day and within seconds couldn’t see or breathe. I screeched to a stop on the A5 and screemed to the wife to get out with the dogs.
I tried to put the fire out with the extinguisher but couldn’t see.
Dogs and wife got out but I got a good dose off smoke inhalation, ambulance /fire/police came and put me on oxygen, it was frightening
Examination by the fire brigade was that the battery under my seat had moved and shorted on the seat post causing the battery fire.
We were lucky and insurance paid out very quickly

Who installed the battery without a strap?

 

[Terry]

Was it on EHU at the time? Not clear from the post. Quite worrying either way. For it to be arcing it would seem it would have had to be on EHU? You wouldn't get arcing from a 12v system? Unless there was an inverter in the way somewhere? Interested to know.

A short on a 12 v battery wiring will take seconds to melt/ set fire No inverter needed. If on ehu and shorted out then the RCD would have tripped stopping the power

 

[dulvil]

Who installed the battery without a strap?

It was fitted from new by brown hills who said they subbed it to transleisure.
It had a clamp which must have come slack but no fixing to stop it going sideways

 

[dulvil]

It was fitted from new by brown hills who said they subbed it to transleisure.
It had a clamp which must have come slack but no fixing to stop it going sideways

I forgot when they took it off the recovery truck at the dealership they tried to move it and had to call the fire brigade again,

 

[Ian-n-Suzy]

This is horrible news, we both feel so, so sorry to read what has happened to you, it is "the thing of nightmares". Though could obviously have been much worse had you been asleep in the van.

I was reading your last post out aloud to Suzy, but just couldn't get beyond the part regarding your Dogs wooden plaque, having to hand the phone over to her. It is so very sad.

We've never met, but I always recall when I see your forum name, that you were one of the first to reply to one of our questions and you was most helpful.

I hope things get sorted out very quickly for you.

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