A 31 foot travel trailer caught fire after a propane heater was left too close to a frozen plastic sewer hose. According to a news release from Bend Fire and Rescue:
On January 1, 2021 at 2:37 pm, Bend Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a report of an RV on fire at the Crown Villa RV Resort, 60801 Brosterhous Rd. On arrival, crews found a working fire involving a 31 foot travel trailer parked in space number 475. Although crews were able to quickly suppress the fire, the RV and contents are an approximate 75% loss, with an estimated value of the trailer at $35,000 and contents valued at $15,000. The owners of the trailer, who are visiting from Texas, were not in the 2018 Weekend Warrior at the time of the fire.
Upon investigation, it was found that the sewer hose on the RV had frozen overnight and the owner had placed both an electric space heater and a small propane fueled radiant tank-top heater underneath the travel trailer to thaw the line. The propane heater was placed directly next to the plastic sewer hose and fittings, which melted and ignited. The fire spread from under the RV upward into the bathroom area.
Space heaters are a leading cause of residential fires, and one of the most dangerous things you can do with a space heater is to place it next to anything that can burn. Anything that produces heat needs space around it – this includes fireplaces, woodstoves, baseboards, and space heaters. Bend Fire & Rescue recommends keeping 3 feet of space between combustibles and any heat source, and to never leave heaters operating unattended. For more information on home heating safety, visit https://www.bendoregon.gov/
