A motor home driver escaped serious injury by leaping out of his 2003 Holiday Rambler when another motorist got his attention and said the back end of his vehicle was on fire, firefighters said.
The RV caught fire on County Road 200S about a mile east of Burnsville in eastern Bartholomew County, Elizabethtown Assistant Chief Doug Hollenbeck said.
The fire, which ignited at 12:05 p.m. Monday, shut off County Road 200 to traffic for several hours between county roads 900 East and 1000 East in Rock Creek Township, Hollenbeck said.
The motor home was westbound on County Road 200S heading toward Columbus when fire broke out in the rear of the vehicle, the assistant chief said.
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“He was burning while he was driving down the road,” Hollenbeck said.
Although his vehicle was completely destroyed, driver Steven Archer of Fort Wayne was not injured, Hollenbeck said.
Archer stopped the vehicle on the side of the side of the road, hopped out — and could do nothing but watch the RV burn, Hollenbeck said.
“When we arrived, it was fully involved — on fire from front to back,” Hollenbeck said. “It’s all figerglass on the outside. There’s not much you can do once it (the fire) gets going.”
Elizabethtown Fire & Rescue was assisted by Columbus Township and Hartsville fire departments, Hollenbeck said.
Firefighters had the vehicle fire under control by about 12:40 p.m., he said.
About 5,000 gallons of water was used to extinguish the fire, he said.
Some of Archer’s family members showed up at the scene to support their relative, Hollenbeck said.
