
"As firefighters on shore and in fire boats poured water on the blaze, the ship developed a dangerous list to port due to water pumped into the seaward side by fireboats. About 2:45am on February 10, Lafayette capsized, nearly crushing a fire boat."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Normandie
You got it. If hatches were open and water gets in then it could list over and fill. Then down she goes.