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Both inquiries also determined that part of the blame for the high loss of passengers rested with Captain Stanley Lord of the liner ''Californian'', which was stopped for the night by an ice field some twenty miles from ''Titanic''.  The board members alleged that ''Californian'' could have aided ''Titanic'' had its radio operator been on duty after 11:00 pm, and able to hear its distress signals. Indeed, it was determined that officers on the bridge of the ''Californian'' had seen distress lights from what they considered to be a "large passenger steamer," keeping under observation until the lights vanished after 2:00 am, but doing nothing further than that.<ref>http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepCalifornian.php</ref>

Both inquiries also determined that part of the blame for the high loss of passengers rested with Captain Stanley Lord of the liner ''Californian'', which was stopped for the night by an ice field some twenty miles from ''Titanic''.  The board members alleged that ''Californian'' could have aided ''Titanic'' had its radio operator been on duty after 11:00 pm, and able to hear its distress signals. Indeed, it was determined that officers on the bridge of the ''Californian'' had seen distress lights from what they considered to be a "large passenger steamer," keeping under observation until the lights vanished after 2:00 am, but doing nothing further than that.<ref>http://www.titanicinquiry.org/BOTInq/BOTReport/BOTRepCalifornian.php</ref>

Another theory involved a pre-existing coal fire that erupted aboard ''Titanic''; the Titanic's speed was due to its attempts to use the fiery coal before it ran out; the routing through the icebergs was due to concern that the coal would run out before reaching port (leaving Titanic stranded at sea, a potentially embarrassing event for its maiden voyage).  The coal fire, though, purportedly weakened the structure, causing the ship to split open (whereas, had there been no coal fire, it may not have sunk).

Another theory involved a pre-existing coal fire that erupted aboard ''Titanic''; the Titanic's speed was due to its attempts to use the fiery coal before it ran out; the routing through the icebergs was due to concern that the coal would run out before reaching port (leaving Titanic stranded at sea, a potentially embarrassing event for its maiden voyage).  The coal fire, though, purportedly weakened the structure, causing the ship to split open (whereas, had there been no coal fire, it may not have sunk).  Although the existence of a coal fire (a common occurrence due to spontaneous combustion) is true, most experts consider this a "conspiracy theory".

Of the passengers who went into the water, only six were pulled out alive, and only by efforts of surviving officers in several boats going through a sea of bodies.  Hypothermia killed the remainder, as the water was about 29 degrees Fahrenheit.  Many of those who perished came from wealthy, prominent families in [[Europe]] and [[America]], among them the heirs to the Straus fortune and the owners of Macy's department store in New York City.  The disaster also had its heroes, such as the ship's band assembled on the stern to keep remaining passengers calm; and the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who forcibly took the tiller away from a rowboat crewman and forced everyone in her lifeboat to go back for people in the water.<ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic_victims/</ref><ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/manifest.php?q=5</ref>

Of the passengers who went into the water, only six were pulled out alive, and only by efforts of surviving officers in several boats going through a sea of bodies.  Hypothermia killed the remainder, as the water was about 29 degrees Fahrenheit.  Many of those who perished came from wealthy, prominent families in [[Europe]] and [[America]], among them the heirs to the Straus fortune and the owners of Macy's department store in New York City.  The disaster also had its heroes, such as the ship's band assembled on the stern to keep remaining passengers calm; and the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, who forcibly took the tiller away from a rowboat crewman and forced everyone in her lifeboat to go back for people in the water.<ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic_victims/</ref><ref>http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/manifest.php?q=5</ref>