He was closest to a short-circuit fire in the captain's cabin and "was directly in the path and very close to the sparks, flame and smoke that erupted," the board's report said. A navy officer said that at this point, Lieut. Saunders, a combat systems engineer, would have faced small fireballs and intense smoke. He did not have a protective mask on his face. Choked by acrid smoke, Lieut. Saunders' duty was to report to an upper deck control room. Perhaps less than 10 seconds later, he reached the control room by feeling his way through the fire-damaged sub in the dark.  But "the situation was no better" there, the report said.

Still without a mask, Lieut. Saunders called out for breathing gear. The report said the Chicoutimi's commanding officer, Cmdr. Luc Pelletier, shared his own mask before another was provided to the stricken sailor.

With a mask now on Lieut. Saunders, Cmdr. Pelletier "had to turn his attention to the fire," the inquiry board's report said. Lieut. Saunders lost consciousness in the control room and was found at the base of the commanding officer's chair.

 "Lieut. Saunders' situation was serious but not obvious," the report said. It went on to say his fire-related injuries "would progressively lead to more perilous distress the next day." 

The sailor died Oct. 6 after being airlifted to an Irish hospital. The board's findings showed that Lieut. Saunders' death "is entirely attributable to military service," and he died in the line of duty.

For his wife, Gwen, and their two children, the navy's report finally answers questions that have lingered for several months.  Ms. Saunders said her family took part in the inquiry and is satisfied with its conclusions.

 "Chris was a proud submariner," Ms. Saunders said Thursday in a statement. "He firmly believed, as I do, that our country needs a strong submarine program."

Ed Note: 19755 Lt. (N) Chris Saunders graduated from CMR in 1995.