Fire believed to be caused by a mobile phone completely destroys caravan

A fire that is believed to have been caused by a mobile phone being left to charge overnight completely destroyed a caravan at the end of last month.

A fire crew from Castle Donington Fire Station was despatched at half past six on the morning of Sunday 31 May to the fire at the Barley Fields caravan site at Breedon on the Hill on the Leicestershire/Derbyshire border. The incident provides an important reminder about how crucial it is to stay fire safe on tour.

By the time they arrived, the only occupant in the caravan at the time had already managed to escape, and the fire was put out with no casualties. However, the caravan was completely destroyed in the fire.

The caravan burning in the background while another caravan is hitched up to a tow car in the foreground — Image: LFRS

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) said, “We suspect the fire was caused by a mobile phone being left charging overnight inside the caravan. Mobile phones and other lithium-ion battery devices, such as laptops, vapes, e-scooters and other rechargeables, should not be left charging unattended or overnight.’

The LFRS has a website for anyone needing more advice about fire prevention. Among other things, it suggests that caravans and tents should be kept at least 6m apart, and recommends turning off all appliances in your caravan before you leave it or before you go to bed.

In other news, it has been announced that Elddis caravans will continue, and production will move to Germany from next year. Elddis ‘vans will be produced at Isny-in Allgäu in southern Germany, where fellow EHG brand Dethleffs also produces its leisure vehicles.

Another recent incident saw North Yorkshire Police issue an appeal after thieves targeted four caravans in one go. The incident, which happened near Selby, saw an unknown number of thieves attempt the botched raid.

Image: LFRS

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PeterBaber

Peter Baber is Reviews Editor of Practical Caravan. His first caravan reviews date back to the early 1990s during his first stint working for the magazine, before he embarked on a 20-year career in business journalism which saw him edit a wide variety of magazines, and launch a few too, including one that won an award. Although he enjoyed that, he always knew he wanted to come back to the world of caravans and camping, having first got interested in it during two summers working as a campsite holiday rep in Switzerland in the 1980s. Peter reports on all the new models that make it to dealer forecourts each season, giving his judgement online and in magazine reviews. When he is not working, he likes to improve his skills at throwing pots (he is part of a pottery studio near where he lives and has just started selling his wares), indulges in a bit of baking, and likes playing tennis.