Yes, in the '60's, the oil-fired cook stove(s) was/were down in the hold, just as you would come into large room that became the Crew's Mess when you started on the QUEEN. In 1965, I was "Striking" in the Engine Room, and not on deck, and because that was still segregation days, there were no "whites" working as deckhands. Early of a morning, Captain Wagner came into the E/R in a very excited state, and said that the boat was afire beneath the cook stove and he may have to put the steamboat ashore and evacuate the passengers and crew not needed to fight the fire.
As you remember, just a couple of feet, or less, beneath the deck was the top of a fuel tank containing hot fuel oil, and in the vicinity of the stove there must of been a dipstick where the tank depth was sounded that allowed gooey, tar-like, number-six oil accumulations to built-up on top of the tank, and the heat of the stove, that sat close to the cement-like floor covering, caused the oil residue, beneath, to ignite. Apparently, it had been smoldering all night, undiscovered, until the cook reported that the deck was too hot to stand on.
Wagner directed a crew to chop through the deck, where he found the wooden supports to the deck had been consumed by the smoldering fire. Luckily, though with some effort the fire was extinguished before the fuel tank had ignited, and life went on, upstairs, and no one, but a few of us, was aware what a close call the DELTA QUEEN had had that morning. Breakfast was served as usual in the Orleans Room, and eventually the kitchen found a new home on the Main Deck, though that happened while I was in the military, and when I returned to the QUEEN, in 1970, that area had become the Crews' Mess and lounging area.
Some heads nearly rolled after the incident. Beloved Brucie, the venerable Watchman, was nearly fired, as he had been making fire patrols over the very spot that was smoldering, and had been walking over the fire all night without sensing that something beneath his feet was amiss. The Chief Engineer, too, came under criticism for allowing the top of the fuel tanks to get so cruddy. But thanks to Captain Wagner, Captain Doc, and others, the DELTA QUEEN was saved from a very close call to live into the 21st Century.
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