Fire on Thissell Road Consumes RV and Body Found Inside
Fire crews were called out to a reported RV fire on June 15 in Dixon. A report issued by the Dixon Fire Department stated that crews from UC Davis, Winters, and Vacaville also responded to the call and helped extinguish the blaze, which occurred on Thissell Road west of Schroeder Road. The RV was engulfed when they arrived. However, fire crews managed to extinguish the blaze before it spread.
RV Fire Under Investigation to Determine Cause and Identify Deceased
A body was discovered inside the RV. Detectives with the investigative unit of Solano County Fire as well as the Sheriff’s Office are trying to determine the deceased person’s identity and how they died as well as what started the fire. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who might have information on this incident is asked to get in touch with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office.
Incidence of Fires Involving Recreational Vehicles
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), thousands of fires occur in recreation vehicles every year. The numbers are probably much higher since many of these fires are put out by the owner and not reported. Recreational vehicles also include motorcoaches, fifth-wheel trailers, pop-ups, truck campers and more.
What Are the Causes of an RV Fire?
Most fires involving RVs occur in older models because they are not equipped with the safety features of newer ones. Because of their age, the motor is older as well as the equipment inside. However, a fire can occur in any RV, causing severe burn injuries or fatalities. Some of the major causes of an RV fire include:
- The area of the vehicle’s engine, wheels or running gear has been implicated in a high number of fires.
- Refrigerators are a major cause of fires in RVs. In older units, the Norcold refrigerators were recalled due to a defect in the cooling unit that could cause premature corrosion of the boiler tubes, leading to a propane leak. Anyone who still has one of these refrigerators should replace it.
- Around 35 percent of all fires involving RVs are due to electrical shorts or faulty wiring. Major sources of these problems are generators, air conditioners, and water heaters.
- Unattended heat sources are another major source of an RV fire, including cooking, grilling, gas lanterns and heaters.
- RVs generally use propane as a heat source for the furnace and cooking range. A leak from the propane tank can end up causing a fire.
- If the vehicle has been in storage, small animals can build nests near equipment that heats up. This can lead to an RV fire.
Safety Measures When in an RV
The absence of smoke alarms is common. However, by installing a smoke alarm, checking it periodically and regularly changing the batteries, many of these serious instances of RV fires could be avoided. In addition, keep a fire extinguisher handy and up-to-date to deal with small blazes, and have your RV regularly inspected for potential problems and have them repaired. According to the NFPA, around dinner time is when most RV fires occur. However, the highest number of fatalities happen when those inside are sleeping.
Contacting a Lawyer
If your loved one died in a fire in an RV that was caused by negligence or a defective product, your family may be able to file a wrongful death claim. The accident can be investigated to determine if a defective part in the RV caused the blaze or negligence by a mechanic or a company is at fault. If a defect was found, a product liability claim may be placed against the manufacturer and others. Fault does not have to be proved, only that the product was used as intended and remained unaltered.
Dixon Personal Injury Lawyer
My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Dixon personal injury lawyer. If you were injured in a fire involving a recreational vehicle or lost a loved one, you can get free and friendly advice on whether you can file a claim to recover compensation at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400. We can also be contacted online.
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Photo attribution: Image by David Mark from Pixabay
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