NHTSA Complaint #719403 — 1995 FORD ECONOLINE

VEHICLE WAS PARKED BESIDE OUR HOUSE. IT WAS A 95 FOUR WINDS 5000 MOTORHOME ON A FORD ECONOLINE CHASIS, CHASIS YEAR WAS 1994. VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEN FOR 5 DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS PLUGGED INTO ELECTRICAL, BUT NOTHING WAS TURNED ON OR RUNNING. FIRE STARTED IN THE DASHBOARD AREA OR JUST UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. ONLY OTHER PROBLEM WITH UNIT WAS THE MULTIPURPOSE SWITCH FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY. WE ARE STILL FIGHTING WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO PROVIDE US WITH A CAUSE OF THE FIRE. FIRE STARTED AT 3 AM. OUR NEIGHBOOR WAS ASLEEP ON HIS COACH AND HEARD A NOISE AND LOOKED OUT AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE MOTORHOME, HE CALLED 911, RAN OVER TO SEE IF ANYBODY WAS IN, GRABED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, THAN POUNDED ON OUR DOOR TO GET US UP. FIRE DEPT. GOT THERE JUST AS THE FIRE STARTED DOWN THE TOP AND STARTED BURNING THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE. WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE SIDING ON THE HOUSE AND WINDOWS, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. CLASS C MOTORHOMES ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH ESCAPE ROUTES IF THE FIRE STARTS IN THE ENGINE AREA. HAD SOMEBODY BEEN IN THE BED ABOVE THE CAB, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD TO JUMP OVER THE FIRE TO GET OUT. WE HAD WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS, BUT THE IT BURNED VERY QUICKLY. ESCAPE ROUTES ARE THE DOORS, AND SIDE WINDOWS, NEVER PLANNING TO HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE BED ABOVE IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY MANUFACTURES. TRUCK CAMPERS PROVIDE AN ESCAPE HATCH OVER THE BED. IF THIS HAPPENED TO US, THE NEXT TIME IT COULD HAPPEN WITH SOMEBODY'S GRANDKIDS IN THE BED WITH THEM HAVING TO JUMP OVER A VERY SMOKEY FIRE TO GET OUT. *AK