Refrigerator Fire

05-06-2008, 07:12 AM

I HAVE A 2003 2720 SL.
shortly after lighting the gas refrigerator, it started a fire in the back that burned all the electrical insulation on the bundles of wires behind it. It also melted the plastic access panels and outlets for 110 vac, 12 vdc, TV and phone. The front side of the cabinet was burned and will need to be replaced.
We were able to put it out before too much damage.
We are now using ice until we can have repairs made.
How could this happen and has anyone else had it happen to them?

Dick Thomas
Full timer in a trailmanor

05-06-2008, 07:22 AM

Ohno! Have not heard of this, but so very sorry to hear it now. Yikes -- it should not happen to a fulltimer. THoughts are with you! Queen

**B_and_D** · 05-06-2008, 07:37 AM

There's been some discussion about this on rv.net, don't know if anything applies to you:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...g/1/page/1.cfm

Sorry to hear about your fire! What a bummer! Glad you could contain it to a small amount of damage.

05-06-2008, 08:35 AM

Looks like the recall is on 2-door refers so it may not apply to yours. However, yours would fall under the years of the recall, so I would call the manufacturer and find out if there is one that applies.

**Bill** · 05-06-2008, 09:12 AM

Follow those links, and you find that other refrigerators, from both Norcold and Dometic are being recalled, as are some Mr Buddy heaters.

Bill

05-09-2008, 06:59 PM

We had a similar problem with our old motorhome. Got set up, turned on refer and went for a walk. As we returned to the unit we saw smoke coming from the roof area. It didn,t take long to figure out that it was coming from the back of the refrigerator. I turned the gas off and the fire went out but not before it had destroyed some wiring. I found that the aluminum tube that feeds gas to the burner was cracked and was allowing gas into the rear compartment. I was able to get a new tube and wiring harness from a local RV repair shop and repair the unit. We were VERY lucky we returned to the unit when we did. The broken tube was probably was an age related thing, metal fatigue. If there is a lesson here it is that probably you can,t do too much preventive maintenance. Also , Don't leave the unit until every thing has been operating for a few minutes and you know everything is OK.