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Writer's pictureTitanictalksMillie

Titanic Myths: Did the Titanic Really Sink Because of a Fire?

Hello everyone, just a small introduction before we get into the article. When planning for October’s pieces I kept asking myself the question of how I could somehow tie in Titanic with Halloween? There isn’t much significance between Titanic and the month, so I thought to make it a conspiracy month and talk about some of the conspiracies and myths surrounding Titanic. I won’t be covering all of the theories as I want to save some for next year too. So, without further ado enjoy.


107 years after the Titanic disaster people and historians are still coming to their own conclusions about who or what really sank the Titanic. These theories have only advanced in the past fifteen years whether it’s been relating to an insurance scam or the Captain being drunk. In 2016 a supposed ‘new’ theory came to the surface and that was Titanic sank because of a fire that had been raging in one of the boiler rooms located on G deck. I was very sceptical about this, at the time, as having spent the previous few years avidly reading about the design of the Titanic there were just a few things that did not add up.


Firstly, I will be examining the photographs that accelerated the popularity of the theory. The first photograph shows Titanic docked up beside Belfast Lough. It was here that people had noticed a smudge located on Titanic’s port side ( the same side she hit the iceberg with). From this people with the previous knowledge that there had indeed been a fire on the Titanic a few weeks before she sailed for Southampton in 1912. Had decided that this was the fire that sank the Titanic. The first picture shown is the original and located below it is the enhanced picture with the smudge. The first inaccuracy with this photograph is the location of the supposed fire smudge. According to Bruce Beveridge’s report Titanic: Fire and Ice (Or What You Will) comments “ Plans of F,G and the Orlop Decks show the location of the smudge … the bunkers show to be afire in the programme as well as the recess for the bath itself on G Deck… what is immediately obvious is that the area of the smudge contained cabins for the Third Class Passengers as well as the upper level, or a sort of sorting room for the post office.” If we consider this argument put forward by Beveridge it would seem completely illogical to say that the fire had been kept under control by the coal trimmers because a quarter of the ship (that was used by passengers) would have been on fire.

To further comment of the photograph, many believe that the fire was an integral part of Titanic’s demise this is perhaps a titanic myth. Although, as previously mentioned Titanic’s fire had occurred on the same side as she hit the iceberg with. the smudge on the photograph is located fifty feet away from the actual coal fire and the point where the iceberg ripped into the side of Titanic leaving a 300 ft gash in her port side (but the entrance point of the iceberg was nowhere near the fire). The smudge does not appear on any other photograph of the Titanic.


The Smudge: This is the original photograph shows the alleged smudge located where the 3rd class cabins were located as well as Titanic's only swimming pool.



A closer look: the blue box shows a much more clearer look at the supposed smudge that sank the Titanic.


Another argument I’d like to consider is what the original 1912 inquiry had said about the fire. The inquiry we’ll be considering is the testimony of Harold A. Sanderson. Sanderson had travelled on Titanic from Belfast to Southampton as a passenger. In the inquiry the commissioner asks:


“I only want to refer you to two other rules. The first is Rule 248. It is on page 45, "Examination of Coal Bunkers." The respective senior engineers of each watch, before going off duty, Must go through the coal bunkers, and note their condition on the, log-slate, and should there be any signs of spontaneous combustion taking place, they are at once to report same to the Chief Engineer, who is immediately to notify the Commander.” Considering the commissioner’s question, it would have been the job of the chief engineers and indeed designers to have had a thorough inspection of the condition of the vessel. It’s practically certain that Thomas Andrews (Titanic’s Chief Designer) and personalities like Artie Frost ( foreman and engineer at Harland and Wolff) would have regularly checked the status of the fire, it’s important to note that these men were professionals who most likely understood what they were doing.


To support this argument the commissioner adds “Spontaneous combustion in a coal bunker is by no means an unusual thing.” This is true many liners at that time were subject to fires, usually located in the boiler rooms. There isn’t many records of coal fires being an attributing factor to the sinking of a liner.


To further support the argument is another collection of testimonies from survivors who were resolute that the fire had been put out the Saturday morning. Fredrick Barret who was one of 173 stokers on Titanic had stated in his testimony that he had been aware of Titanic’s fire the whole time it had happened and even passengers like Harold Sanderson had confirmed he knew about the fire too. Sanderson said, “I then sent down to Southampton, and they said, "Yes, there was a small fire."


My final piece of evidence is if the coal fire had really affected Titanic’s sinking? The temperature of the water was recorded to have been 28 degrees Fahrenheit (that’s just below freezing) however, if the Titanic had gone down with the fire the water would have been much hotter, practically scolding. This is because the water entering the boiler room would have soon heated up. The first boiler room had been filled up with water in minutes just a few moments after the iceberg hit the Titanic.

To conclude, personally I do not support the fire theory as due to some extensive research it’s become evident that the theories and arguments are weak and inadequately supported. However, it’s good to be aware of these ideas as it allows us to come to our own conclusions.


As always, I’ll leave a few external links about the fire theory a few of them I did use for this piece. One of them is a brief debunking of the arguments made on the Channel 4 documentary and most importantly the fire and ice theory. I’ll leave a link to the PDF it’s roughly 25 pages long as has some incredibly good points to counter argue the conspiracy theory. Feel free to ask any questions or add anything.


Have a titanic Halloween, Millie.

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