RV fire sends man to hospital with second degree burns

By Sequim Gazette Staff • July 3, 2024 1:30 pm
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Fire District 3 / An early-morning fire on July 3 sent a Sequim man to the hospital with second degree burns. Firefighters say the likely cause was discarded cigarette ash that burned a pile of cardboard and trash just outside a recreational vehicle.
Photo courtesy of Clallam County Fire District 3 / An early-morning fire on July 3 sent a Sequim man to the hospital with second degree burns. Firefighters say the likely cause was discarded cigarette ash that burned a pile of cardboard and trash just outside a recreational vehicle.

A fire just outside a recreational vehicle (RV) on West Washington Street in the early morning hours Wednesday sent one man to the hospital for treatment of second degree burns to his legs.

Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters were dispatched to a reported structure fire at the Sequim West Inn & RV Park at 740 W. Washington St. at about 12:22 a.m. on June 3, where they found a 34-foot-long Bounder RV With light smoke showing by the front door. Sequim Police officers were on the scene treating a 38-year-old man for burns to his legs. He was transported to Olympic Medical Center and was later taken to Harborview Medical Center for further care.

The rest of the family — an adult woman and four minors ranging in age from 9-12 — were evaluated and deemed uninjured, district officials said. The RV was being used as a primary residence, they said.

A neighbor used a garden hose to extinguish the fire before District 3 Engine 34 crew members arrived and took over. The fire was contained to the exterior of the RV.

The man’s brother has started an online fundraiser for medical expenses through gofundme at https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-relief-for-carls-family-after-fire.

ccording to District 3 representative, the husband and wife had been inside the RV with the four children as well as several dogs at the time of the fire. During investigation of the fire’s cause, one of the occupants said they were smoking a cigarette inside the RV and flicking ashes outside the window, where cardboard boxes and trash had been piled. About 30 minutes after smoking, the fire was noticed on the outside of the RV. The husband opened the door and attempted to attack the fire while the rest of the residents and animals escaped through a rear window.

The five uninjured family members are staying with family members, fire district officials said.

Improper disposal of smoking materials is the leading cause of structure fires in the United States, firefighters noted. District 3 officials remind community members that if they chose to smoke to fully extinguish their smoking materials and get rid of them properly.

The fire district responded with three structural engines, one medic unit, several volunteers and one command vehicle. Olympic Ambulance responded with an ambulance, and Sequim Police responded with four officers.

Questions may be directed to District 3 Battalion Chief Stefanie Anderson at 360-683-4242.