Orient burns and explodes at the center of the battle

Alexander and Swiftsure arrive after Bellerophon has absorbed a punishing fight against the much larger flagship. Fire appears in Orient's lower gun decks, with powder handling the preferred explanation for its uncertain origin; a weapons-locker explosion is another possibility. British gun crews initially direct fire toward the burning areas, hindering French firefighting and feeding the flames. As the fire climbs through the ports, masts, and sails, nearby ships close their gunports, soak their decks, and pull away. At 10 p.m. Orient explodes with enough force to open seams, wound sailors through concussion, and scatter burning wreckage across the anchorage. Accounts of the disaster include testimony from a French staff officer rescued by the British. Many men who reached shore were killed by Bedouin tribesmen who had already been fighting the fleet's foraging parties.