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From: MilwBob
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Remote Name: 209.240.205.62
Date: 02.27.06
Time: 07:43:19 PM
Sounds like an urban legend to me. In 1987 a book was published called "Autos on the Water:A History of the Great Lakes Automobile Carriers" which chronicled the shipment of autos via lakers. The author makes no mention of such an incident. The only incident he has that has a ship fire in Buffalo is the collision between the Penobscot and the barge Morania in 1951. Part of the Morania's gas cargo spilled and then blew up, enveloping the Morania and the Penobscot's bow. But the Penobscot was empty and did not sink so don't think this could be the same story. It is possible the author missed this story, but I doubt he'd miss the tale of an unsalvaged ship. Maybe Bin B could shed some light on any story on this.