On almost any vessel, you don't want to be below decks when a fire breaks out, or during any other emergency, for that matter.
the boat and owner, by way of reference, have apparently always been at the top of their game. no question. if there was an issue, they'd fix it. passed uscg inspections. according to the uscg today they did have smoke detectors on the boat.
but to have only one escape route, for all intents and purposes, for all of those folks?
you know, we read about ferry boat accidents that happen in other countries. i had always wondered how that could happen, and that so many people could die, until i was on one of those ferrys earlier this year. five times. and each time i realized that if an accident or issue were to arise i was dead. so many people, too few exits.
i cannot imagine a more terrifying way to die than those poor folks on the Conception.