On September 4, 1819, she caught fire after departing Burlington. Most of the passengers and crew safely made their escape, but six perished due to the flames or drowning. The ship grounded on Colchester Reef and was burned to the waterline. The company salvaged equipment from the wreck, including the steam engine, and the remnant hulk was dragged off the reef the following spring and allowed to sink. There was a great deal of speculation at the time that the fire was deliberately set by individuals unhappy with the advent of steam powered ships.
