 While en route from Danzig to Kiel on 2 January 1901 , Kaiser Friedrich III struck an underwater obstacle while in company with Kaiser Wilhelm II . The impact damaged four of the ship 's watertight compartments , which then filled with water and caused the ship to list to port . The shock from the collision damaged the ship 's boilers and started a fire in the coal bunkers . All of the ship 's ammunition magazines , engine rooms , and storage compartments had to be flooded in order to prevent the fire from spreading . Two men were seriously injured while fighting the fire , and a third died of his injuries . Kaiser Wilhelm II took her sister in tow , although after several hours the fire was extinguished and the engines were restarted . Throughout the incident , Prince Henry adamantly refused requests that he depart the ship , stating " I shall be the last to leave the ship . " 
