This caravan cleaning method burned a mum’s face: ‘My skin was on fire’
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The caravan lifestyle represents freedom, adventure, and the joy of the open road.
Since the start of 2021, Samantha, who has been travelling the country with her children, has been committed to keeping her caravan in pristine condition.
However, one routine cleaning task turned into a horrifying ordeal that left her with burns on her face.
On the evening of October 13, while waiting for the hot water system to heat her shower, Samantha decided to tackle a cockroach problem in a cupboard beneath the fridge in her caravan.
‘I saw there was a cockroach problem in that area, so I thought I would spray the carpet at the bottom of the cupboard to deter them,’ she said.
She opted to use an aerosol can of eucalyptus liquid, a seemingly harmless and natural solution, to deter the pests.
'I soaked the carpet, spraying it heavily for about a minute,' Samantha recalled.
'Then I did one more spray, and then something went bang—there was a really loud explosion and a big flash.'
The explosion, likely caused by the aerosol spray coming into contact with the fridge’s pilot light, set the soaked carpet and cupboard ablaze.
Samantha's two daughters, Alana, 20, and Roux, 8, were just a few steps away in their bunk beds at the time of the explosion.
‘I was putting out the fire, and I heard my daughter say, “Are you okay, Mummy?”’
While Samantha managed to extinguish the fire and her daughters were unharmed, she suffered first-degree burns to her entire face.
‘I thought I was fine, but then all of a sudden, it felt like my skin was on fire,’ she said.
‘My daughter said to me, “Your face is black.”’
'My hair was all singed back, and it was the hair on my face that was all singed, I didn’t lose my skin, thankfully, but the stinging and burning just didn’t stop,' she added.
Following the traumatic incident, Samantha had to visit the emergency room to treat her injuries.
Just two weeks later, her 16-year-old son, Dylan, was involved in an accidental fall that required surgery. The severity of his injuries forced the family to settle on the Sunshine Coast and find a rental amid a housing crisis until Dylan recovers, which may not be until mid-next year.
Meanwhile, the caravan survived the explosion and is awaiting repairs.
The family has been unable to use the fridge since the incident.
'I’m a nervous wreck now, so travelling is definitely off the cards for us for a while,' Samantha conceded.
'It’s a miracle nothing worse happened.'
To prevent hazardous incidents, it’s always important to check the products before using them in our homes.
In a previous story, a family was met with a disaster when they came home from their trip as their tumble dryer caused fire over their family home while they were away. They have lost everything in the home they have been living in for the past eight years. This included precious and 'irreplaceable' items. Read more about the tragic story here.
Have you ever experienced a similar incident? How do you keep cockroaches and pests off your homes? Share your stories and tips in the comments below.
Since the start of 2021, Samantha, who has been travelling the country with her children, has been committed to keeping her caravan in pristine condition.
However, one routine cleaning task turned into a horrifying ordeal that left her with burns on her face.
On the evening of October 13, while waiting for the hot water system to heat her shower, Samantha decided to tackle a cockroach problem in a cupboard beneath the fridge in her caravan.
‘I saw there was a cockroach problem in that area, so I thought I would spray the carpet at the bottom of the cupboard to deter them,’ she said.
Samantha experienced a terrifying ordeal while getting rid of cockroaches. Credit: Unsplash
She opted to use an aerosol can of eucalyptus liquid, a seemingly harmless and natural solution, to deter the pests.
'I soaked the carpet, spraying it heavily for about a minute,' Samantha recalled.
'Then I did one more spray, and then something went bang—there was a really loud explosion and a big flash.'
The explosion, likely caused by the aerosol spray coming into contact with the fridge’s pilot light, set the soaked carpet and cupboard ablaze.
Samantha's two daughters, Alana, 20, and Roux, 8, were just a few steps away in their bunk beds at the time of the explosion.
‘I was putting out the fire, and I heard my daughter say, “Are you okay, Mummy?”’
While Samantha managed to extinguish the fire and her daughters were unharmed, she suffered first-degree burns to her entire face.
‘I thought I was fine, but then all of a sudden, it felt like my skin was on fire,’ she said.
‘My daughter said to me, “Your face is black.”’
'My hair was all singed back, and it was the hair on my face that was all singed, I didn’t lose my skin, thankfully, but the stinging and burning just didn’t stop,' she added.
Following the traumatic incident, Samantha had to visit the emergency room to treat her injuries.
Just two weeks later, her 16-year-old son, Dylan, was involved in an accidental fall that required surgery. The severity of his injuries forced the family to settle on the Sunshine Coast and find a rental amid a housing crisis until Dylan recovers, which may not be until mid-next year.
Meanwhile, the caravan survived the explosion and is awaiting repairs.
The family has been unable to use the fridge since the incident.
'I’m a nervous wreck now, so travelling is definitely off the cards for us for a while,' Samantha conceded.
'It’s a miracle nothing worse happened.'
To prevent hazardous incidents, it’s always important to check the products before using them in our homes.
In a previous story, a family was met with a disaster when they came home from their trip as their tumble dryer caused fire over their family home while they were away. They have lost everything in the home they have been living in for the past eight years. This included precious and 'irreplaceable' items. Read more about the tragic story here.
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