NHTSA Complaint #11330437 — 2020 JAYCO TRAVEL TRAILER JAY FLIGHT

WE BOUGHT A NEW JAY FLIGHT SLX 267BHSW AS WE FELT THIS WAS A GOOD FIT FOR OUR FAMILY OF FIVE. WE TOOK DELIVERY FROM THE DEALER, RVS OF SACRAMENTO, MAY 18, 2020 AND TOOK THE TRAILER ON ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE JUNE 14TH 2020. WE CAMPED AT TRINITY LAKE CALIFORNIA AT TANNERY CAMPGROUND. THERE ARE NO HOOKUPS AT THIS CAMPGROUND SO WAS RUNNING GENERATOR DURING THE DAY AND BATTERY/ PROPANE AT NIGHT. EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT UNTIL THE FOURTH DAY WE WERE THERE. I WOKE UP AT 6 IN THE MORNING THURSDAY THE JUNE 18, 2020 TO A VERY LOUD POP AND A RUSHING SOUND. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WHEN I WAS JUMPING OUT OF BED WAS A WATER PIPE BURST BUT WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE BEDROOM I SAW SMOKE POURING OUT OF OUR REFRIGERATOR. I TOLD MY WIFE TO GET OUR KIDS OUT IMMEDIATELY AS IT WAS BLACK ACRID SMOKE FILLING THE TRAILER. I WENT OUT THE DOOR AND SAW FLAMES GUSHING OUT OF THE ACCESS PANEL FOR THE REFRIGERATOR. I IMMEDIATELY RAN AROUND THE SIDE SHUTTING OFF THE PROPANE TANK AND THEN GRABBED OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT. IF I HADN'T WOKE TO THE SOUND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AS THE BUNKHOUSE IS AT THE VERY REAR WITH THE FRIDGERATOR IN BETWEEN OUR BED AND THE KIDS BUNKS. I DROVE INTO THE NEAREST TOWN TO GET SERVICE ON MY CELL PHONE CONTACTING JAYCO AND OUR DEALER IMMEDIATELY THAT MORNING AND SENT PICTURES TO JAYCO. I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA AT THIS POINT WHAT HAPPENED BUT THE FRIDGE WAS RUNNING ON PROPANE THAT MORNING AND ASSUMING THAT IT WAS SOME KIND OF PROPANE HOSE FAILURE WHICH IGNITED THE FIRE FROM THE PROPANE LEAKING INTO THE PILOT LIGHT. I REALLY AM NOT CERTAIN THOUGH. THE PRE-DELIVERY INSPECTION DID NOT INCLUDE SHOWING US THE REAR OF THE REFRIGERATOR ACCESS BUT AFTER GETTING HOME I DID PEEK IN THERE AND NOTHING SEEMED TO BE A MISS. THE FRIDGE WORKED ON PROPANE WHEN TESTED AT HOME AND FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS WHEN WE WERE CAMPING. *TR