RV fire spreads to van

UPDATE: 2:20 p.m.

At least one blast was heard before a motor home caught fire in Penticton Monday afternoon.

"We were dispatched to a report of an explosion and fire showing," said the Acting Fire Captain Wes Swaren at the scene.

Once firefighters arrived, they saw the fire in the motor home which had spread to a camperized van, he said.

The fire caught the attention of many Penticton residents as black smoke billowed into the sky. 

"We did an aggressive, quick knockdown on the fire," Swaren said. "It was a quickly moving fire but crews were on scene within two or three minutes and were able to knock it down over the next 15 minutes, and mop it up and put it out."

An investigation is underway.

The fire captain said older model, Class C motor homes, such as the one that burned, have a lot of wood panelling, exposed carpet and no fire protection.

The fire did not spread to a house as earlier reported.

ORIGINAL STORY: 13:50 p.m.

A fire tore through an RV and then to a camper van on the 200 block of Hastings Street in Penticton Monday afternoon.

Video footage captured showed flames leaping out of the windows of the RV and thick black smoke.

According to eye witnesses, there were explosions and then the fire started.

The Penticton fire department remains on the scene.