80th Anniversary of the SS Morro Castle Disaster
In the early morning hours of Saturday, September 8, 1934, en route from Havana to New York, the SS Morro Castle caught fire and burned, killing a total of 137 passengers and crew members. The ship eventually beached itself in Asbury Park, NJ.
"Irrespective of its cause, the fire aboard the SS Morro Castle served to improve fire safety for future ships. The use of fire retardant materials, automatic fire doors, ship-wide fire alarms, the necessity of emergency generators, mandatory crew training in fire fighting procedures, and greater attention to fire drills and procedures resulted directly from the Morro Castle disaster."
It is still a fascinating tragedy, filled with intrigue and possibly arson and murder.
"Brian Hicks puts together now unclassified testimony and numerous information on radio operator George Rogers, who at first emerged as the hero of the “Morro Castle.” Now revealed as a psychopath, liar, and murderer, Rogers is clearly shown for what he was – not the dependable radio operator who stayed by his post trying to raise a signal from another ship. He was a pyromaniac who, through his extraordinary knowledge of explosives and radio devices, managed to take down a large liner."
Some great photos at the links:
http://seagirtlighthouse.com/page/The-Morro-Castle.aspx
http://www.museumofnjmh.com/morrocastleanniversary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Morro_Castle_(1930)