From a US Navy medical report on the USS Cole:
The explosion left a significant dusting of powder aboard weather deck surfaces and a residual smell (like fetrilizer) on the mess decks as well as in other areas, including the starboard passageway leading to Sick Bay. Smoke curtains helped to contain the smell. The crew did not remove the substance from the weather decks (where personnel slept on account of the heat) because the FBI had not arrived to take samples for testing. 12 fatalities could not be extricated initially due to structural damage in the galley and mess areas. As the temperature exceeded 100 degrees daily, decomposition commenced rapidly. Crewmembers and FBI agents used up supplies of oil of wintergreen and eugenol during recovery efforts in order to minimize decomposition odors. Vanilla extract was use for the same purpose. Excerpted from: http://www.foia.navy.mil/usscole/ENCLOSE/enl140A5.pdf