The Queen Arrives
The S.S. Noronic was built by the Western Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Company for Northern Navigation Company, of the Canada Steamship Lines. She launched on June 2, 1913 in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada as a passenger and freighter ship in the Great Lakes. It’s 5 decks, covered 362 feet (110 m) in length, and was over 6,000 tons and could carry 600 passengers and 200 crew.
The Noronic was a beautiful ship, and one of the largest Canadian ships of its time. Its nickname, “The Queen of the Lakes” was well deserved. Over the next 40 years, this popular ship ferried passengers and cargo across the Great Lakes.
A Pleasure Cruise Goes Awry
On September 14, 1949, the Noronic departed from Detroit, Michigan on a week long pleasure cruise of Lake Ontario. Two overnight stops were planned in Canada before returning to Detroit. She carried 524 passengers, most American, along with 171 crew members.
Capt. William Taylor docked the Noronic in the evening of September 16, at Pier 9 in Toronto Harbour, In the early morning hours of September 17th, passenger Don Church saw smoke at the rear of the ship. Investigating, Church discovered the smoke was coming from a locked linene closet. He immediately notified bellboy Earnest O’Neil, who did not trigger an alarm but instead ran to the steward’s office on another deck to get the keys to the closet. Upon opening the closet door, flames rushed out into the corridor and spread down the hallway. The ship’s wood paneling was polished with lemon-oil which fuelled the intense fire even more.
Within only 10 minutes, the Noronic was burning out of control and efforts to extinguish the fire were fruitless. Sleeping passengers woke to the panic, but most were unable to escape their rooms to due to the flames, smoke, or both. Some passengers were able to escape by jumping into the harbour.
The Toronto Fire Department was quick to respond, and immediately began rescuing anyone they could find. But the inferno had already claimed the lives of many and left the Noronic a burning hulk. The “Queen of the Lakes” was no more.
Rescue Efforts
By 5 am, having mostly burnt itself out, the remnants of the fire were extinguished. Rescue teams had to wait 2 hours until the smoldering wreck cooled down before they could board. What firefighters found was horrific. Charred remains, skeletons huddled together in the throws of death, and others incinerated while still in their beds. The fire was so hot that glass from all windows had melted from every window, and steel fittings were bent and twisted. Stairways leading to other decks were all completely destroyed except for one.
Investigation
The Canadian government established an inquiry which concluded that the cause of the fire was unknown, but arson was suspected. However, the committee recommended more fire fighting equipment on board and suggested passengers and crew needed better training with emergency procedures.
The tragedy of the Noronic remains one of the greatest disasters in Great Lakes history. Over $2 million in compensation was paid to victims and their families by Canadian Steamship Lines. Following the loss of the Noronic, passenger ships on the Great Lakes declined significantly.
119 people lost their lives, and many more sustained serious injuries.