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January 13, 2015

The Derelict

What none of the crew realized right away was that the fire was being fanned by one of Morro Castle's oft-touted amenities:

a rudimentary air conditioning system that used vents at the front of the vessel to draw in cool, refreshing sea air which was then funneled into inner passenger compartments via gaps behind the wall paneling. The Morro Castle was steaming at near-top-speed into a headwind, consequently the captive breeze was brisk. Furthermore, much of the luxury liner's wood-paneled interior was glazed in layers of luxurious flammable varnish and fastened with comprehensively combustible adhesives. The fire feasted, spreading at an astonishing rate unlike any in the onlookers' experience. Soon it was roaring, feeling its way upwards and sideways toward adjacent rooms with little regard for the crewmembers' interventions.

• Damn Interesting

Posted by gerardvanderleun at January 13, 2015 11:30 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.

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Posted by: Vermont Woodchuck at January 14, 2015 4:21 AM

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