The Slocum Disaster: Maritime SafetyWhy life preservers once drowned the people they should save.

From the show

Rules Written in Blood

Modern safety inspections are strict for a reason. In 1904, a fire on the General Slocum steamboat turned a church picnic into one of New York's worst disasters. The tragedy wasn't just the fire, but the equipment meant to save people. Rotten fire hoses burst, and life preservers filled with decayed cork and iron weights pulled victims underwater. The incident, caused by a corrupt inspection, forced a complete overhaul of America's maritime safety regulations.