On July 24, 1915, the Eastland capsized in the Chicago River, killing at least 844 people. The cause of the disaster was likely a combination of factors. Over the years the Eastland had undergone various modifications that made it top-heavy and less stable. The addition of lifeboats and rafts that the ship was carrying—the result of a new law passed after the Titanic catastrophe three years earlier—worsened the problem. It has also been suggested that the Eastland’s ballast system was inadequate and that the ship was overcrowded.