Photos by Jill Danigel for NSBNEWS.net. Cutline: Edgewater fire personnel respond to a fully-engulfed recreational vehicle fire Monday night on U.S. 1 in Edgewater.
EDGEWATER -- Julie O'Hea got the scare of her life Monday when her recreational vehicle caught fire on U.S. 1, forcing the shutdown of both northbound lanes for 30 minutes, the Edgewater Fire Department reported.
Neither O'Hea nor anyone else was injured in the 6:41 p.m. blaze in the 3800 block of South U.S. 1, near Rio Grande, that completely engulfed her RV, a complete loss at $60,000.
Fire personnel were on the scene at 6:47 p.m. and four minutes later had the fire under control. It was extinguished at 6:58 p.m.
"(She) was driving the 32-foot Gulfstream motor home north on US 1 when she began to notice the engine “running rough” and “sputtering,” said Edgewater Fire Department Lt. Jill Danigel, the spokeswoman and fire marshal.
"She pulled onto the shoulder of US 1 in the 3800 block of U.S. 1 in attempt to see if the vehicle would run properly after sitting idle," Danigel said. "She quickly noticed the smell of smoke in the cab of the RV. She exited via a side door to find smoke coming from under the hood of the RV. She attempted to use a fire extinguisher but was unable to open the hood of the RV and the extinguisher would not discharge.Fire had progressed inside the RV to the rear area as well."
Upon arrival, nearly a dozen Edgewater Fire-Rescue personnel found the entire front portion of the RV fully engulfed in flames, which was extinguished using approximately 1,300 gallons of water, Danigel said.
O’Hea was uninjured in the exit from the RV and subsequent attempt to extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature, Danigel added.