A workman's welding torch caused a small fire in the troopship Lafayette AP-53 on February 9, 1942, the flames quickly spread until they were out of control. As water was poured into the ship to keep the fire from spreading to the pier she began to take on a list. The blaze started about 230 pm and were extinguished by 6 pm, but the ship continued to list. At 230 am the next morning Lafayette rolled over on her port side and became a total loss. One civilian worker was lost in the incident.