Today’s Throwback Thursday is one of the most famous shipboard fires, and is especially well-known in our area because the vessel was beached for several months in Asbury Park, New Jersey, not far from our current headquarters. While the SS Morro Castle disaster of 1934 tragically killed 137 passengers, it directly resulted in numerous shipboard fire safety improvements (including fire alarms, improved fire drills, and the use of fire retardant materials), saving countless lives in the future. Martin & Ottaway attended at the vessel on September 10, 1934 – almost 80 years ago – to determine the extent of damage. Our field survey now hangs in the office:
