Motorhome Fire in the Tetons July 10, 2017, 09:12:06 am I think we have a couple of LDOs in this area so I thought I'd post this information.Motor home fire causes brief traffic delay in Teton Pass - East Idaho NewsClearly a Class A and highway 22 is well known for being extremely steep. We drove it in a Subaru but I'd not want to try in the LD. As the news article mentioned ... a total loss. I wonder if their braking system overheated and started the fire?
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #1 – July 10, 2017, 09:50:39 am Prevost H3.... Unclear if it was a private RV or entertainer coach. There is a post on the Prevost Owners Group's FB page showing the same coach from the side. The greatest fire damage was from the kitchen through the tag axle. No word over there, but people are theorizing brakes.
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #2 – July 10, 2017, 09:56:12 am A lot of folks don't know how or when to down shift... I blame that on the advent of the 'Automatic' transmission.
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #3 – July 10, 2017, 10:08:25 am No matter how it happened my hope is that the people are all right. What a scary experence, may we never go through something like that ourselves 🙏 1 Likes
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #4 – July 10, 2017, 10:27:59 am Quote from: Lazy Bones 2 - July 10, 2017, 10:08:25 amNo matter how it happened my hope is that the people are all right. What a scary experence, may we never go through something like that ourselves 🙏The news article I saw said that they were OK...didn't even have to go to the hospital.
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #5 – July 10, 2017, 11:13:45 am "...highway 22 is well known for being extremely steep. We drove it in a Subaru but I'd not want to try in the LD."---WYO 22 does have sections of 10% grades on both sides of the 8400' summit (and the "truck escapes" require crossing oncoming traffic!) but, IIRC, the road is less than 18 miles long between Victor, ID, and Wilson, WY. I've driven Teton Pass in both directions three times without any issues, but my LD is a 23.5' and I don't tow. It's certainly not fast, and one does have to gear way down and use the brakes judiciously on the downhills and curves, but, IMO, 22 is a viable road choice - if one follows the "rules" of mountain driving. As ever, YMMV, of course! 2 Likes
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #6 – July 10, 2017, 12:06:40 pm Quote from: Michelle C - July 10, 2017, 09:50:39 amPrevost H3.... Unclear if it was a private RV or entertainer coach. There is a post on the Prevost Owners Group's FB page showing the same coach from the side. The greatest fire damage was from the kitchen through the tag axle. No word over there, but people are theorizing brakes.From the photo, looks like fire started in rear brakes or possibly the refer.
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #7 – July 10, 2017, 12:28:58 pm Quote from: HiLola - July 10, 2017, 12:06:40 pmFrom the photo, looks like fire started in rear brakes or possibly the refer. Prevosts of that generation don't have absorption fridges (or propane, for that matter)
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #8 – July 10, 2017, 12:50:28 pm Quote from: Michelle C - July 10, 2017, 12:28:58 pm Prevosts of that generation don't have absorption fridges (or propane, for that matter)My bad. Prevost is way above my paygrade!
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #9 – July 10, 2017, 07:21:46 pm As Joan said, Teton Pass is high and steep, but I have driven it numerous times, towing my Subaru. It is low gear most of the way, and judicious use of brakes, but I have never overheated, nor used the brakes so much that they might have overheated.Ken F in WY
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #10 – July 10, 2017, 08:52:24 pm We drove it last year. 31' un hitched. Drove the wrangler behind the LD. Robin geared down and had no issue. Slow because windy. I had some issue going up. Third and fourth gears. Down was all third gear o stay off the LD bumper. Sad to see something like that. And hard for anyone to get there in time to do something about it. Lydia
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #11 – July 10, 2017, 09:32:34 pm A 45' Prevost can weigh more than 50,000 pounds. Even with a well designed braking system that much weight could easily have gotten away from an in-experienced driver. The 45' double slide Newell we owned weighed over 48,000 pounds and newer ones are quite a bit heavier. I've driven many steep climbs and descents and with the jake brake and transmission never had a problem safely descending. From the picture the fire looks like it was concentrated over the drive axle and could have been overheated brakes.
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #12 – July 13, 2017, 01:52:08 pm Here is another motor home fire that occurred a few months back on I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge. At 700k, I hope these folks had insurance. I guess just because one has a high-end RV, it doesn't mean it's immune to fire:Fire engulfs 0,000 motorhome in gorge – St George News
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #13 – July 13, 2017, 02:49:09 pm Class A towing pickup, towing flat-bed trailer.How do you spell 'DUMB' ?? 1 Likes
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #14 – July 13, 2017, 03:37:41 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones - July 13, 2017, 02:49:09 pmClass A towing pickup, towing flat-bed trailer.How do you spell 'DUMB' ?? It is leagal in many states. Semi pulling triple 27' trailers?
Re: Motorhome Fire in the Tetons Reply #15 – July 13, 2017, 04:01:04 pm Legal yes... for professional drivers! For amateur drivers... DUMB! 2 Likes