Key Points
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Coal Bunker Fire:
- A fire broke out in one of Titanic’s coal bunkers before it left Southampton.
- The fire was persistent and was extinguished only by emptying the bunker of all its coal, a process that concluded the day before the collision.
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Impact on Bulkhead:
- The fire damaged the bulkhead, which some historians believe contributed to its premature failure during the sinking.
- The fire was located in the forward starboard corner of Boiler Room #5, affecting Bulkhead ‘E’.
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Coal Redistribution:
- The coal from the affected bunker was redistributed, mostly to the port side, causing a noticeable list to port.
- This redistribution of coal affected the ship’s stability and may have influenced its behavior during the sinking.
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Observations of List:
- Passengers and crew noticed the port list, with second-class passenger Lawrence Beesley and others commenting on it.
- The list was estimated to be around 2.5 degrees to port.
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Simulation and Analysis:
- A detailed simulation of the Titanic’s flooding and sinking was conducted, revealing that the ship initially listed to starboard due to the hull breach.
- The simulation had to be manually constrained to prevent the ship from rolling excessively to starboard, which did not match historical accounts.
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Guardian Angel Effect:
- The coal fire and subsequent redistribution may have inadvertently helped the Titanic by preventing a more severe starboard list.
- This “guardian angel” effect allowed for the successful launching of lifeboats and may have saved lives.
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Conclusion:
- The document concludes that while the coal fire was a significant factor, the primary issue was the ship’s speed and the decisions made by the crew.
- The fire’s impact on the ship’s stability and the subsequent list to port played a crucial role in the events of the sinking.
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