Two found dead in rv

JohnnyT wrote:
Folks lets not stray to far away from what generated this thread... Two people lost their lives. The cause of this tragedy is something we need to be focused on with a mind set of preventing such an occurrence. While I did not know the individuals involved is it sad to hear such news...

JohnnyT Moderator

I agree Johnny, there was either a overnight leak or it was purposely done! It's up to the investigators to figure it out! Either way still a tragedy.

What a terrible thing to happen to any family. Although we don't have propane on board, I will be checking my detectors.

My heart goes out to all involved.

MM.

I had an incident a couple of years ago with propane. I was out of town visiting my brother and S-I-L. They were in the motorhome saying goodby and S-I-L was leaned up against the stove. I didn't know at the time but leaning on the stove caused one of the valves to turn on slightly. I drove about 60 miles and kept smelling what I thought was dog******and in fact I checked mine and wife's shoes a couple of times. I stopped to get a couple of sandwiches and when I got back in the m/h, the smell was a lot stronger than I thought. I got to searching and found the valve turned on.

When I got home, I got rid of the stove and bought a new one that the valves have to be pushed in to turn them on. I check the valves much more often now. I still need to build an enclosure around the knobs that I will have to lift to turn the valve. I forget it in between trips so I think I had better get it done while it's on my mine.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Daveinet wrote:
Hmm, one of the burners were left on. Seems they

should have smelled

it before they fell asleep. Could be the difference between when you smell something but don't think its bad enough to do something about.

That is right around the area I filled up my propane tank and a couple of days later smelled a bad smell from my MH. EVERYONE in the CG was sure it was coming from my gray tank because it was more concentrated by the sink.

Turned out it WAS propane from a bumped stove knob.

I was to find out that there is no law in place that requires ALL propane companies to use the 'same' 'odor' additive. Every state can put whatever odor they want just as long as one is added.

I KNOW what propane smell likes in Wisconsin. The smell they put in when I filled my propane tank in Tennessee did NOT smell anything like it. So if you were like me being my first time out RV'ing away from my home state you wouldn't know that.

Live and learn....and I almost didn't and almost blew up the whole MH waiting for mobile repair to come out and replace gray water tank vent while the real culprit propane gas continued to come in. :R

That is good information. I thought everywhere used mercaptan.

JohnnyT wrote:
Folks lets not stray to far away from what generated this thread... Two people lost their lives. The cause of this tragedy is something we need to be focused on with a mind set of preventing such an occurrence. While I did not know the individuals involved is it sad to hear such news...

JohnnyT Moderator

You are so right. I am sorry that I went off topic a bit. I was hoping that because of those people who lost their lives by mentioning that the items could be possibly required by law that people check their own rigs. I would not want to see others lives lost and families have to go through the loss if these types of deaths can be prevented.

I hope the families involved find peace in their hearts.

Folks lets not stray to far away from what generated this thread... Two people lost their lives. The cause of this tragedy is something we need to be focused on with a mind set of preventing such an occurrence. While I did not know the individuals involved is it sad to hear such news...

JohnnyT Moderator

loulou57 wrote:
Our 2011 TT came with....
.. Smoke Detector..Liquid Propane Detector....and ..Carbon Monoxide Detector
It also was equiped with a fire extinguisher
Are these things to be installed by law?

Usually depends on the state, or Canadian province in your case, where the unit was sold "new". But states and provinces have different safety requirements for vehicles passing thru their jurisdiction, i.e Alaska requires "flares or reflective signs, fire extingusher and gas detector"; while Ontario only requires: "Over 3,000 lbs./1,360 kg. brakes are required. Safety chains are required unless the trailer is attached by a fifth-wheel attachment." This info can be found at: http://www.woodalls.com/articledetails.aspx?articleID=2377513 As to what is required when being sold new, you would have to check with the individual jurisdictions. Safety regulations apply to all passing thru a state or province and do not fall under reciprocal agreements.

You want to be careful about what you require by law, as laws most often have unintended consequences. I'd rather see the insurance companies require it. Private businesses are much more able to respond to industry changes, than our cumbersome government.

Most stoves that I know of have push to turn mechanisms, but that seems to not help much. One thought would be to automatically turn on the overhead fan, any time the burner is turned on. That would pretty much prevent someone from bumping a knob without knowing it.

loulou57 wrote:
Our 2011 TT came with....
.. Smoke Detector..Liquid Propane Detector....and ..Carbon Monoxide Detector
It also was equiped with a fire extinguisher
Are these things to be installed by law?

No, I think anyone can install them.

Our 2011 TT came with....
.. Smoke Detector..Liquid Propane Detector....and ..Carbon Monoxide Detector
It also was equiped with a fire extinguisher
Are these things to be installed by law?