1934 - September 8 – Off the New Jersey coast, a fire aboard the passenger liner S.S. Morro Castle kills 134 people.

On September 8, 1934, tragedy struck off the coast of New Jersey when the luxury passenger liner S.S. Morro Castle caught fire under mysterious circumstances. The ship, which was on its way from Havana, Cuba, to New York City, quickly became engulfed in flames, leading to a chaotic and devastating incident. The fire spread rapidly throughout the vessel, exacerbated by strong winds and the ship's highly flammable interiors.

Despite efforts to contain the blaze and evacuate passengers, the Morro Castle became a scene of horror and confusion. A total of 134 people lost their lives in the disaster, either succumbing to the fire itself, smoke inhalation, or drowning after jumping overboard in a desperate bid to escape the inferno.