fire in storage site

[Steve_5090070]

Hi All,

I store my van at a storage site, unfortunatley there was a fire on the site on Friday early hours. My van is badly dameged by the heat of the van next to mine. The cause of the fire is unknown at the moment but 6 vans were involved 2 completly destroyed 2 (including mine) badly damaged and 2 with damage to rear panels. I dont think mine is repairable, looking at it but the insurance company may think different. Has anyone been unfortunate to have any expeirence of this kind thing.

Steve

 

[LMH]

Oh dear Steve, I'm so sorry to hear about this, I'm sorry your van has been badly damaged.

Lowdhams storage site (Nottingham) had a big fire around four years ago and many vans were written off. Maybe if you do a search on that, some information might come up.

Please keep us updated with your situation.

Lisa

 

[Steve L]

HI Steve.

Firstly, I am sorry to hear of your plight and our thoughts go out to you and your family.

Thinking rather bluntly here. But it might be worth pushing your insurance company for "write off" as you could stand a chance of salvaging your summer hols. Don't be pushed into accepting their first value though, as they will haggle and always start at the bottom of the value range. Waiting for repairs to take place might take all summer.

Secondly, A smoke/fire damaged room of any discription always seems to hold the odour for ages.

I had a car once that got damaged to within a few hundred quid of a write off and the insurance insisted on repair. It was an Espace, which needed in my opinion a new front complete. However the insurance insisted that the half front quater panel was the way to go, and that their approved repairer rather than a renault garage could do it.

Oh dear big mistake on their part as after two attempts to repair it, the car was sent to the Renault agent for repair. I bet they wished they'd agreed with me and written it off.

I wished that too, as when I evenually after some 6 months of running round in a Corsa loaner, got the Espace back it then spent the next 6 months going back for further repairs to all the bodge ups that the first repairer had done.

Eventually after taking the insurance Co to court I won damages and was able to send the car to auction.

The moral is, don't accept second best especially as this claim of yours is clearly nnot your fault.

Good luck and I hope your soon back on the camp sites.

Steve.

 

[Steve_5090070]

Thanks for your replies, I'll let you know how I get on with the insurance. I doubt I will see any of the summer months on a camp site. These things tend to drag on.

Steve

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Steve,

Sorry to read of your problem. I hope it is resolved quickly and to your satisfaction. This is one of the reasons that we do have insurance, BUT:-

This is not you fault, and the caravan was in the care of the storage site. Regardless of any disclaimers they may have written into the storage contract, it seems to me that they have allowed your van to be damaged whilst under their care, and therefore they do have an obligation to you.

You will almost certainly have to push your claim through your own insurance, but insist that the insurers try to recover all costs (including future increased premiums) from the site owners who have failed in their duty of care to protect your caravan.

The site owners are running business, They take your money, and part of that money will be spent on site insurance (if not, then it is their own fault).

Without knowing all the details, it is possible the site owners were negligent in allowing caravans to be parked too close to each other. Maybe the fire was caused by one of the sites employees doing some maintenance.

Perhaps the fire was caused by another caravan owner, in which case the site will almost certainly be pushing for compensation from that owner. - Why should you be the only one to loose out, especially when it is not your fault?

Do keep us posted.

 

[Robtel]

Steve,

Sorry to hear about the fire.

There is a storage site near where I live but thankfully I don't need to use it (large back garden with good access) When driving past the storage it is obvious the vans are parked very close together, I imagine most storage sites are the same. In some respects I was surprised to read that only 6 vans were damaged, if they were parked as close as they are in the site close by me I could well imagine a fire sweeping through large parts of the site quite quickly.

What I was wondering is how easy it for a fire to start in a caravan in storage other than through an act of arson. Gas supplies should be disconnected and there would not be a mains electric hook up so no fire through electrical fault. Or is it possible the 12v system can start a fire? Does any of the more technical members know if that is possible?

Whatever the cause I hope you get things sorted out quickly. Good luck.

Robert

 

[Steve_5090070]

Thanks again everyone for your comments. I will be speaking to the insurance people tommorow. The Caravan Club Insurance helpline were not much help at all telling me to contact the insurers direct. The club insurance office is closed on weekends as is the main office which is very annoying.

The site owner believes the fire was caused by an electric fault from the battery of the van which is next but one to mine.

As for the spacing the van directly next to mine (a motor home) has been away for the week so the heat of the fire has jumped across quite a wide space. Two vans next to each other have been completly destroyed, then another space where a van has been out for a few days the van on the other side of that space is as mine completly destroyed down one side. Both the vans which have been destroyed had gas cylinders in.

I personally dont think a 12v battery has enough kick in it to start a fire, but I am no electrician. If anyone can give me any advice on that.

One more question, Will I be able to get a report from the Fire Brigade investigator?

cheers Steve

 

[allen1]

hi steve,

Im so sorry to hear about your van.I know how you must be feeling because my van went up in flames on the road outside my house.I am insured with the N.F.U and they were great,I phoned them within an hour of the fire and texted photos to the loss adjuster on my mobile phone,he then wrote the van off.I had a new for old policy and had my new van on my drive within 10 working days.

The fire in my van was deemed to have started from a 12 volt source as nothing else was connected.If you can I suggest you take photos of your van and the others involved plus the one where the fire started and if possible find out his insurers,then leave it all to your insurers,plus start to make a list of your losses within your van as these can be claimed from the insurers of the van that stated the fire.

And start looking for another van it will give you something to look forward to. Best of luck Allen

 

[Steve_5090070]

hi steve,

Im so sorry to hear about your van.I know how you must be feeling because my van went up in flames on the road outside my house.I am insured with the N.F.U and they were great,I phoned them within an hour of the fire and texted photos to the loss adjuster on my mobile phone,he then wrote the van off.I had a new for old policy and had my new van on my drive within 10 working days.

The fire in my van was deemed to have started from a 12 volt source as nothing else was connected.If you can I suggest you take photos of your van and the others involved plus the one where the fire started and if possible find out his insurers,then leave it all to your insurers,plus start to make a list of your losses within your van as these can be claimed from the insurers of the van that stated the fire.

And start looking for another van it will give you something to look forward to. Best of luck Allen

Hi Allen,

Thanks for your suggestions, I found out about the van on Friday evening, as I am sure you can understand I was not thinking straight at the time.

I went back to the van on Saturday morning and took about 20 photos of the area. I got close ups of all the dameage and of the scene in general. I will ask if the insurance need them.

thanks agaain Steve

 

[LMH]

Hi Steve

Ring your fire service heaquarters and ask them for a copy of the incident report. You'll be asked for the date and approx time of the fire. I'm guessing but I would imagine that the incident commander of station officer or above would have been mobilised to this too. When you phone headquarters, ask if that is so and ask for the name of the incident commander. Also ask which watch attended and from which fire station. Just keep that information for your own reference. Ask if a fire investigation officer attended, if so, get his name and where he's based.

A 12volt supply is capable of starting a fire. Other non electrical items such as a tv remote with batteries in it can cause a fire too (this normally happens if the remote is pushed down a cushion and the buttons are being pushed in, or something is put on top of it, pushing the buttons in).

Unfortunately, at storage yards, the vans are parked very close together and I don't think there are any regulations about this.

Lisa

 

[LizCornwall]

Hi Lisa, I know you posted this to Steve, but I think that was very useful information to have, I will certainly keep your information and pass it on if necessary, hopefully it will never happen here, but you never know.

All the best to Steve,

Regards Liz

 

[Steve_5090070]

Hi,

Just a note to update everyone who read about the fire. The fire is now being treated as arson. The culprits have been caught on CCTV. The police are now investigating the fire. My van was written off today, so I now need to look for a replacement.

Does anyone know if a van is bought as a specialfrom a dealer, can it be taken to any main dealer of that make of van. For example if I bought a Swift (dealer special) from a dealer in London. Could I take it to any Swift dealer neare to home if I had any issues with it.

Cheers Steve

 

[AnnM1]

Hi Steve

I am delighted to hear that your problem has been resolved quickly.

My advice would be to contact the manufacturer(s) of the van you want to purchase and ask them directly, before putting any money on the table. It would also be a good idea to get it in writing, possible if you email them! The problem is usually caused by the dealerships who tend to be against taking on extra work for vans purchased elsewhere.

Let us know how you get on. Good luck.

At least you will be able to enjoy your holidays this year.

Ann

 

[Royston]

Hi Steve,

Baileys have brought out a Transient Warranty, which means that their dealers that show this sign against their dealership, will in future cary out warranty and service evan though you bought your van from another Bailey Dealer.

This has opened a much larger choice of sites for me , although I will still keep with my original dealer as he is only 7 miles

way.

This should force other manufactures to follow suite.

Royston

 

[Steve_5090070]

Thanks for your comments everyone, I'll let you know how we get on.

Steve

 

[Steve_5090070]

Hi,

Just an update on things. I have had a settlement figure from the CC insurance. The settlement is O.K. under what we wanted but not by much. The big issue is they have taken

 

[allen1]

hi steve,

Ive not heard of that before,I can understand the deduction of the insurance premium,but then to cancel the policy seems very strange.I think I would be changing companies.

 

[LMH]

Hi Steve

I am insured with the CC for my current van and my previous van.

Mid April last year, my previous van was written off and I received a cheque in full settlement minus the

 

[catherine_5040027]

Hi Steve,

I used to work in insurance it was a while a go and things change,but in those days it went like this.To be paid out on a total loss claim(right off) you would need to have paid the whole premium. remember you are not paying monthly insurance you are paying the annual premium monthly,which is different.You were insured for a particular caravan and obviously you received a settlement for the loss of that caravan,therefore that conract has ended.When you purchase the new caravan you then have to start again. Hope this explains the reasoning behind it.

catherine

 

[SteveW77]

That seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Steve W

 

[Steve_5090070]

Thanks for all your comments, I understand the insurance part. I still think its wrong. If I pay for a years cover I should have a years cover regardless of what van I have.

thanks again Steve

 

[GeorgeB]

Steve,

insurance, especially after payout for a total loss (write off) can be a bit contentious, but if you think of it like life insurance................then

Take out policy on your life.

You expire

Policy pays out to beneficary

Policy ceases, benefits and cover is not transferable

Hope that explains it for you

 

[allen1]

hi steve

When my van went up in flames, it was written off,I bought another van which had a higher value on my new for old policy and it cost me an extra

 

[Steve_5090070]

thanks everyone for your coments I get the impression that it is a bit of a grey area regarding how different companys pay out on a claim.

I am taking the money, but will be putting in a complaint to the manager of the CC

cheers Steve

 

[Steve_5090070]

Hi All,

I finally took delivery of my new van yesterday a Swift Charisma 555. Looking forward to getting away again. Typical of last year as soon as I hooked up to the van at the dealers it started raining and hasn't stopped since. We will be going away at the end of the month.

thanks again Steve