Liz,

I went on a 'hard-hat' tour of the early stages of the conservation some 12-18 months ago while they were running the early test work
(the assessment of the nature and extent of problems and the preparation of status reports, technique tests, treatment proposals, costings etc).
A number of the conservation techniques proposed did involve inflamable materials or gases (they alvays do), if there was vapour build up, then the problem becomes obvious.
As the conservation work requires a lot of floor area and, with the props, ladders and scaffolding in place, the floor space of the dry dock is minimal, it is not surprising, that the contents of the ship were removed as a first action and that the masts were unstepped.
I'm as cynical as anyone, but I think in this case the accident was genuine.

Walrus