A Brave Steamship Stoker Sticker

Early steamships were very dangerous places. They were powered by giant steam boilers that needed to constantly have coal shoveled into them by teams of men. These boilers, if there was an accident could explode, releasing scalding steam which would burn to death anyone in the compartment. One such incident happened on the steamship thresher in the late 1800's. Many died, but one young man escaped to the deck, away from the deadly steam. However hearing the tortured cries of his fellow stokers from down below, he turned right back around and grabbed a fallen friend, saving him at the cost od 3rd-degree burns.