Car fire - what to do with the seat?

[aimeeandaaron]

Mu husband's car was set on fire the other night in our driveway. Luckily someone drove by, woke him up (I was at work) and the fire department got here before it caught the house on fire too.

The car is a total loss, but the inside didn't really burn except for a little bit of stuff melted near the windows. Two windows broke though so the car was filled with smoke and there is soot all over the inside.

What should I do with the car seat (Graco Nautilus)? I'm sure it would at least need a new cover if we were going to try to use it again. Will the plastic continue to smell as well? The insurance adjuster had no idea, but said he'd make a note about the seat to the claim department, so I'm not sure what I'll be getting from them. Has anyone had experience with this?

Can you get a new cover for the Nautilus? What do they cost?

We live in a very safe neighborhood, so this is a total shock that someone would do this!

 

[Maedze]

I'm sorry someone did that to you. HOw horribl e


As for the carseat, I would replace it. Who knows how hot the interior of the car got, and whether the plastic was compromised in any way. I wouldn't risk it.

 

[*Spoiledinmyhouseofblue*]

I agree with the pp. I would just get a new one.

I am so sorry this happened to you! What a horrible thing for someone to do.
I am sure the insurance will cover it.

 

[mimieliza]

That is so scary! I would definitely get a new seat. And push the insurance to cover it.

 

[Qarin]

Gaaah! Scary and horrible.

It sure seems like if the plastic got burned enough to smell, it's had its integrity compromised. Get a new seat.

 

[aimeeandaaron]

Well, I guess the inside of the car did burn. After the insurance adjuster left, he finally said we could get stuff out of the car. What we couldn't see from the outside was that the plastic covering the inside of the cargo area window on one side and the roof covering near it were melted, and that was very close to where the seat was.

I guess I won't be comfortable using it no matter what with that. So far, the insurance company has said they probably won't pay to replace it because it wasn't an accident.

 

[Nisha]

Call Graco and see if you can get it in writing that the car seat will not be safe to use because it was in a fire.

 

[Unregistered1]

There is another poster here who had her seats in a car fire, she may know something about getting them replaced. I did a quick search, here is her thread: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=51032

 

[aimeeandaaron]

Graco sent me an email saying the seat should not be used. I'll leave it in the car when they take it to their salvaging place tomorrow so they can deal with destroying it. We'll see if the insurance will pay for a new one.

 

[QuassEE]

The seat definitely should not be used; a) because of the temperature in the fire, and b) because of the toxins that were expelled in the fire. If the insurance company complains about replacement, request a letter from them in writing that they were accept all future responsibility for the failure of the seat as a result of the fire, or any future health problems that may occur with your children and any other vehicle occupants as a result of exposure to the toxins that may have been absorbed into the seat and seat cover.

Normally we'd tell people to take the cover off the seat before destroying it, in order to have a spare--this is one case where you do NOT want to do that.

-Nicole.