In March, an Abbotsford woman and her dog were nearly killed when her fifth-wheel RV exploded at Aloha RV Park.
An investigation from Technical Safety BC recently determined the cause of the fiery emergency: rodents.
According to the report from TSBC, the rodents had chewed through electrical wires and a section of the gas hose attached to the RV’s kitchen area, causing low-pressure propane to slowly leak into the trailer.
The rodent damage—believed to have been caused weeks before the fire—wasn’t in a location that could easily be inspected. As propane levels dropped, the supplier was notified that the tank was low, prompting an earlier-than-usual refill. The supplier delivered more fuel to the RV’s tank on the morning of the explosion, when the trailer’s owner, Sylvia Gillis, was out.
TSBC found that the RV’s propane gas alarm, meant to detect and alert the owner and nearby residents of leaks, “was not found among the debris” and is believed to have been non-functioning or missing.
“None of the fuel delivery driver, neighbours, or occupant reported a gas alarm sounding from the RV,” the TSBC report read.
As the propane continued to leak, “the accumulated gas–air mixture found an ignition source,” leading to an explosion that blew the roof and walls from the trailer and caused extensive interior damage, according to the report. It also left Gillis—and her pet dog—with severe injuries.
A scary night at Aloha RV Park
Gillis returned home with her dog, Max, at around 6:20 p.m. on March 3. By 7:10 p.m., her home was ablaze.
She escaped with the help of her neighbours, who pulled her from the trailer “just moments before it was fully engulfed,” according to a GoFundMe set up to help her.
“Sylvia’s loyal dog, Max, also proved to be a hero, staying by her side and trying to protect her from the flames despite suffering burns himself.”
Photo: Technical Safety BC
According to the fundraiser, Max got spooked and ran away after Gillis was pulled from the fire and was struck by a car. Neighbours found him and took him to an emergency vet where he was treated for minor burns and injuries.
Gillis’s injuries were more severe, requiring “multiple long-term hospital stays,” according to the TSBC report. She was airlifted to the hospital after the explosion. Gillis’s daughter, Heidi, said her mother needed a breathing tube and had extensive burns from the fire.
Gillis, who recently retired after 40 years of working for London Drugs, lost most of her possessions in the blaze.
“At 68, Sylvia is facing the impossible task of starting over from scratch,” the GoFundMe reads.
