A couple had a lucky escape after their caravan was enveloped by flames and gutted in Nambucca Heads on the New South Wales mid north coast.
After firefighters were alerted to the late-night blaze at the town’s Swimming Creek Caravan Park, they arrived to find a caravan fully ablaze, and the fire beginning to impact on two gas cylinders attached to the front of the van.
According to a report in the Nambucca Guardian newspaper, people staying at the park had already been attempting to control the fire with installed hose reels, and they managed to prevent it from spreading to other vans or nearby cabins.
No one was injured in the blaze and the cause is not known.
“Unfortunately, due to the significant damage the caravan suffered during the fire, identifying the exact cause was impossible,” Nambucca Heads Fire and Rescue captain Robert Couchman told the Nambucca Guardian. “The speed and ferocity of the fire meant that a significant amount of the caravan was unrecognisable.”
Captain Couchman said the incident served as a timely reminder of the potential hazards associated with caravans … and the importance of having a working smoke alarm.
“Fires in caravans, due to the materials used in their construction, can become heavily engulfed in fire very rapidly,” he told the Guardian. “In situations like that, seconds count and only a working smoke alarm can give you and your family that chance.”
Have you ever seen a caravan or motohome go up in flames? How conscious are you of the dangers of a fire as you travel? Comment below.
I have a smoke detector in my van and because the bloody thing kept triggering when I was cooking I replaced it with a more sophisticated one.. The new Smoke Alarm had a small button that allowed me to switch it off briefly…
After a few months of normal living and cooking I had not needed to use the OFF button so I checked the alarm.. The battery was flat. Replaced the battery, did a quick test an it triggered.. A couple of weeks later I was suspicious of the alarm and checked it again an it would not work. I checked the battery and it was OK, but the alarm would not activate..
I wonder how many other people have or rely on alarms that DONT WORK?
Alarms do provide a sense of security, so it is scary to think of them not working, my worst worry is “are the batteries I just purchased fresh?”, so rely on testing. We have a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm and I think we are about to make the trifecta with an LPG alarm.
This is why its safer to stay in van parks than free camp. No fire fighters out on a river or the side of the road, and van parks are the why to go now all with fire hoses installed and endless supply of fire extinguishers and trained staff to use the equipment. And you all complain about the price of van parks. But dont think about something like this ever happening and the back up that is available in an isant.
In reference to Steves comment,
I would have thought that preventing the fire or getting an early warning that there is a problem would be more important than worrying about if there is someone close by to attempt to put a fire out if your van M/H were to catch fire, once you have a fire and you are safely clear is all that matters, no matter how quick someone is on the job there is very little chance of having anything left to continue on your way with..
I will stick with bush camping and enjoy my freedom and the great outdoors..:)
I agree with you Bob. Once the fire has taken hold of the van/motorhome, I don’t think it matters where you are parked. Maybe more dangerous in a caravan park as they are all parked up so close to each other and all have gas attached. I am married to a retired firefighter and he has attended heaps of caravan fires in caravan parks. We BUSH CAMP most of the time, only caravan park when working and always try and park up with room between us, as you do not know how safely fitted out some rv’s are.