 On July 28 , 1928 William S. Grattan responded to the oil barge James F. Cahill , loaded with 5 @,@ 000 barrels of crude oil , that was aflame . After burning 17 hours , the barge 's mooring lines gave way and the barge began to drift . William S. Grattan 's crew attempted to attach tow lines to the drifting barge but it struck a dock at an oil company where the empty oil tanker B.B. McColl was moored . The fumes on the B.B. McColl ignited causing an explosion and fire that engulfed William S. Grattan . Captain Thomas <unk> along with his crew abandoned ship and swam through the flames to shore . Chief Engineer Thomas Lynch of William S. Grattan lost his life and seven other crew members were injured . The unattended boilers on William S. Grattan soon ran dry and exploded , leaving the ship burned out and heavily damaged . 
