NHTSA Investigation PE05015

UNPROTECTED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED AFTER A NEW YORK AMBULANCE FLEET NOTIFIED ODI THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, WHICH FILLED THE PATIENT?S COMPARTMENT WITH SMOKE.ALLEGEDLY, THE FIRE STARTED IN THE DISTRIBUTION PANEL WHICH SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL POWER TO OPERATE THE LIGHTS AND EQUIPMENT IN THE PATIENT?S COMPARTMENT.HIGHLY FLAMMABLE MATERIALS, SUCH AS OXYGEN BOTTLES ARE STORED AND USED IN THE PATIENT COMPARTMENT OF THESE VEHICLES.ODI CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REPORTED A SECOND THERMAL EVENT CONCERNING THE SAME ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. DURING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, ROAD RESCUE DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS NOT PROPERLY PROTECTED AGAINST A SHORT CIRCUITAND THE FUSES WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED TO A FUSE THAT REQUIRES A MANUAL RESET, INSTEAD OF THE AUTOMATIC RESETTING TYPE FUSE CURRENTLY INSTALLED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ROAD RESCUE HAS FILED A SAFTEY RECALL TO REPLACE THE FUSES ON ALL AMBULANCES UTILIZING THE SELF-RESETTING STYLE FUSE.A COPY OF THE RECALL IS ATTACHED AND THIS ACTION RESOLVES THE FIRE CONCERN RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.HENCE, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.