CARAVAN EXPLODES - You won’t believe how!

We heard news this week that a caravan exploded at a rodeo in Townsville. Fortunately the owners were away from the van at the time - it could have been so much worse. You can read the article here, but to sum up how it occurred, there was a leak from the gas bottle that was running the fridge, all it took was a spark, and boom - the van was gone in just minutes.

Unfortunately this is a situation we’re seeing much too often for my liking. The condition of your gas bottles, gas lines and connections are one of the biggest safety concerns we should have.

Things can go wrong very easily here, as is proven in this story, however it’s good to know it’s just as easily prevented.

For starters, you’d be crazy not to install a gas leak detector in your caravan. They’re small, cheap bits of gear that’ll pick up a gas leak and sound an alarm well before things go wrong. You can pick them up for between $40 and $70 - a small price to pay for the piece of mind that comes with it. You can get one here

Secondly, regularly inspect your gas lines by brushing or sponging on soapy water. With your gas turned on, you’ll be able to see bubbles forming on any areas that are leaking. In particular check around joins in the hoses. We recommend you do this before each trip as part of your pre-trip checklist.

Finally, ensure you get any repairs or upgrades on your gas setup done by an accredited workshop. This kind of work shouldn’t be done DIY - save money elsewhere to ensure you can spend the money to get the job done right!

It’s sad we have to wait until something goes incredibly wrong to wake up to the risks involved with caravanning, however I hope this fire serves as a timely reminder for caravanners out there just how easy things can go wrong.

Tell me your thoughts about the subject - email me at [email protected] or comment below.