The 7,000-ton cargo ship, Fort Stikine, sailed into crowded Bombay
Harbor, India. It was loaded with a mixed freight ranging from fish to
cotton to explosives. A sailor noticed smoke coming out of a
ventilator that serviced one of the ship's cargo holds, but since it
was close to lunch time, he did not mention the problem. The fire in
the hold was discovered after lunch, but by then it was raging out of
control. Authorities suggested sinking the ship, but because the
harbor was crowded and shallow, it would have to sail out to sea to be
scuttled. No problem, but first the captain wanted to phone the ship's
insurance company to see if they thought it a good idea. While he was
on the phone, the ship blew up into a million pieces, sinking 27
nearby ships, raining junk all over downtown Bombay and killing well
over 1,000 people.