Caravan fire!

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Jun 20, 2005
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We’ve gone off at a tangent here. Unless the storage owner makes it mandatory each caravan has its own TP policy 99% of the time the buck stops with the site owners.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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This has all gone off at a tangent. For the sake of clarity please will someone explain whether or not the OP needs TP liability cover for his caravan even if stored at home ?
 
Sep 23, 2023
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This has all gone off at a tangent. For the sake of clarity please will someone explain whether or not the OP needs TP liability cover for his caravan even if stored at home ?
A motor vehicle doesn't need anything as far as I am aware if it's not on public highway sorn in your own back garden
 
Jul 18, 2017
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The storage in your back garden is not the issue, but if it catches fire and the fire spreads and damaged property not belonging to yourself it could get expensive. On a caravan site even more so however having insurance or not is your choice.
 
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Mar 14, 2005
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As I pointed out when I attached this video to a topic on another forum, this fire wasn't complicated by having gas cylinders around. Most caravan fires will have two cylinders waiting to explode. It was interesting to watch the ali outer skin disappear. Ali melts at just a bit less than 700C
Due to the regulations about gas cylinder design here In the UK , gas cylinder very very rarely "explode". The valve gear should contain a meltable slug or a pressure relief valve , which will release gas vapour if the pressure /temperature gets to high.

If for some reason the pressure relief fails to work, the cylinder would have to get very hot to produce enough internal pressure to split it. When it does so the contents is pure gas vapour and liquified with no air or there source of oxygen, so the content is too rich to ignite and cause an explosion. The gas has to leave the cylinder expand and dilute with air enough before it can burn.

It still isn't wise to approach a fire where gas cylinders are present.

The other important thing about cylinders for caravans , is they must be secured and kept in the upright attitude. This ensures the valve gear will only vent gas vapour, and not liquified gas which is about 250 times more dense and has other safety implications.
 
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Sep 23, 2023
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Due to the regulations about gas cylinder design here In the UK , gas cylinder very very rarely "explode". The valve gear should contain a meltable slug or a pressure relief valve , which will release gas vapour if the pressure /temperature gets to high.

If for some reason the pressure relief fails to work, the cylinder would have to get very hot to produce enough internal pressure to split it. When it does so the contents is pure gas vapour and liquified with no air or there source of oxygen, so the content is too rich to ignite and cause an explosion. The gas has to leave the cylinder expand and dilute with air enough before it can burn.

It still isn't wise to approach a fire where gas cylinders are present.

The other important thing about cylinders for caravans , is they must be secured and kept in the upright attitude. This ensures the valve gear will only vent gas vapour, and not liquified gas which is about 250 times more dense and has other safety implications.
I've noticed safety devices also on disposable gas cylinders that are used on portable stoves/heater .Around the rim can be seen several inserts that act as a valve if canister over heats . Gary
.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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The only serious "problem" with not having any Third Party insurance is who pays if your caravan catches fire and goes on to ignite another??

I have personally witnessed a caravan fire on a campsite. The temperatures were so high that the plastic windows of the adjacent caravans melted.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Due to the regulations about gas cylinder design here In the UK , gas cylinder very very rarely "explode". The valve gear should contain a meltable slug or a pressure relief valve , which will release gas vapour if the pressure /temperature gets to high.

If for some reason the pressure relief fails to work, the cylinder would have to get very hot to produce enough internal pressure to split it. When it does so the contents is pure gas vapour and liquified with no air or there source of oxygen, so the content is too rich to ignite and cause an explosion. The gas has to leave the cylinder expand and dilute with air enough before it can burn.

It still isn't wise to approach a fire where gas cylinders are present.

The other important thing about cylinders for caravans , is they must be secured and kept in the upright attitude. This ensures the valve gear will only vent gas vapour, and not liquified gas which is about 250 times more dense and has other safety implications.
As an 11 year old in the early to mid 60s we had a Birds Eye view about a mile away of a major fire at the Calor centre Mitcham. The sky glowed red , memories for mum who survived the blitz, dad was away of course. I don’t recall any “airborne” cylinders in the surrounding parklands ( all built in now😥) Us boys looked for them post fire.
So I came across this . Note one of the names of the authors who must be I think responsible for the heating systems in our caravans🤔🤔👏
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Due to the regulations about gas cylinder design here In the UK , gas cylinder very very rarely "explode". The valve gear should contain a meltable slug or a pressure relief valve , which will release gas vapour if the pressure /temperature gets to high.

If for some reason the pressure relief fails to work, the cylinder would have to get very hot to produce enough internal pressure to split it. When it does so the contents is pure gas vapour and liquified with no air or there source of oxygen, so the content is too rich to ignite and cause an explosion. The gas has to leave the cylinder expand and dilute with air enough before it can burn.

It still isn't wise to approach a fire where gas cylinders are present.

The other important thing about cylinders for caravans , is they must be secured and kept in the upright attitude. This ensures the valve gear will only vent gas vapour, and not liquified gas which is about 250 times more dense and has other safety implications.
I think the police in this clip may disagree with you?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG1LGKieTxY
 
Jun 20, 2005
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Not sure of the country? Not all subscribe to EU / U.K. regs.
I suspect the explosions are probably the lorry tyres exploding. I have actually witnessed a lorry fire, the exploding tyres are frightening. The flying debris looks like tyre material.
I may be wrong?
Looking closely it is clear some of the cylinders are fitted with safety release valves , note how they look self propelled with liquid gas escaping. And then ignition. But did any Cylinders actually explode ? I am not sure, but note imo if one had exploded those filming it wouldn’t be here now🤔
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Not sure of the country? Not all subscribe to EU / U.K. regs.
I suspect the explosions are probably the lorry tyres exploding. I have actually witnessed a lorry fire, the exploding tyres are frightening. The flying debris looks like tyre material.
I may be wrong?
Looking closely it is clear some of the cylinders are fitted with safety release valves , note how they look self propelled with liquid gas escaping. And then ignition. But did any Cylinders actually explode ? I am not sure, but note imo if one had exploded those filming it wouldn’t be here now🤔

I think those self propelled bottle are more of a danger than them exploding, Many years ago not far from where we lived, a lighted torch fell against a bottle of oxygen. This started chain reaction and they were finding bottles nearly 1/2 mile away. No time for the fire brigade to get there and they were only about a mile away.
 
Sep 23, 2023
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The only serious "problem" with not having any Third Party insurance is who pays if your caravan catches fire and goes on to ignite another??
If you read my post sent Thursday at. 7.45 you will see the adverb YET..this means at this present moment in time .it is also I am fully aware of the need for insurance otherwise how would I know of the problem finding cover.As certain observant users will know the caravan in question is under restoration thanks and whist I've owned it has neither been used on a site or put in storage..in the article I was stating where I personally store my extinguisher..Just for the record I fitted it for the same reasons I bought new tyres..so as to be "'one more job done". Gary
 
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Jul 18, 2017
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They are very pricey and the advice about getting out of the caravan as quick as possible still stands especially with a chip pan fire.

Although we have a water mist extinguisher it is there to help us and the dogs to get out of the caravan as soon as possible. It is also there in case there is a grass or similar fire which can be quickly extinguished. I think the life span of the 2kg water mist FE is about 10 seconds.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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How many caravanners use chip pans these days? McCain’s or air fryers are surely de rigeur😂
I would think that quite a number still use chip pans. However it does not need to be a chip pan as it could be an ordinary frying pan with oil in it, but get your point. :unsure:
 

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