▁No . 3 ▁and ▁No . 4 ▁had ▁contract ed ▁and ▁the ▁captain ▁ordered ▁the ▁chief ▁engineer ▁to ▁press ▁them ▁with ▁salt ▁water . ▁The ▁sc rew cap ▁on ▁the ▁No . 4 ▁hold ▁expansion ▁tank ▁was ▁taken ▁off , ▁and ▁the ▁gas ▁co cks ▁on ▁the ▁star board ▁side ▁were ▁also ▁opened ▁to ▁get ▁rid ▁of ▁v ap ors . ▁The ▁water ▁was ▁p ump ed ▁down ▁into ▁the ▁No . 4 ▁hold ▁on ▁the ▁star board ▁side ▁for ▁some ▁time ▁and ▁at ▁approximately ▁ 1 3 : 5 0 ▁the ▁chief ▁officer ▁retired ▁into ▁his ▁cabin . ▁There ▁were ▁several ▁crew ▁members ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁No . 3 ▁and ▁No . 4 ▁holds , ▁among ▁them ▁two ▁fire men ▁on ▁the ▁' t ween ▁deck ▁under ▁the ▁bridge ▁deck ▁ab re ast ▁of ▁No . 3 ▁hold . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁chief ▁officer ▁left ▁the ▁deck , ▁an ▁explos ion ▁occurred ▁in ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁of ▁the ▁No . 4 ▁hold ▁and ▁the ▁ship ▁burst ▁into ▁fl ames ▁amid ships . ▁The ▁fire ▁spread ▁quickly ▁with ▁the ▁fl ames ▁rising ▁into ▁the ▁air ▁ 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 ▁feet . ▁More ▁explos ions ▁followed ▁as ▁ben z ine ▁in ▁the ▁remaining ▁holds ▁ign ited . ▁The ▁captain , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁a ft ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁vessel , ▁r ushed ▁through ▁the ▁fl ames ▁and ▁with ▁assistance ▁of ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁officers ▁and ▁crew ▁managed ▁to ▁get ▁the ▁lif eb o ats ▁out . ▁The