The Great Molasses Flood of 1919: A Sticky Disaster

 

The Great Molasses Flood of 1919: A Sticky Disaster

Story: Boston, Massachusetts, on January 15, 1919, experienced one of the most bizarre and tragic industrial accidents in history: the Great Molasses Flood. At approximately 12:30 PM, a massive, poorly constructed storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company, located in the North End neighborhood, suddenly burst. The tank, standing 50 feet tall and 90 feet in diameter, contained an estimated 2.3 million gallons of molasses, weighing approximately 12,000 tons.

When the tank ruptured, a colossal wave of molasses, reportedly 15 to 25 feet high, surged through the streets at an astonishing speed of 35 miles per hour. The immense pressure was so great that it flattened buildings, knocked railway cars off their tracks, and engulfed everything in its path. The sticky, viscous liquid proved to be lethally powerful. People were drowned, crushed, or suffocated by the thick, sweet deluge. Horses were swept away and died. The force of the wave was so strong it reportedly dislodged a fire station from its foundation and carried it hundreds of feet away. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 21 people and injured over 150 others. The clean-up effort was monumental, taking weeks, as firefighters used saltwater hoses and sand to try and remove the molasses. The lingering smell of molasses permeated the neighborhood for decades, especially on hot summer days. The tragedy highlighted the dangers of industrial negligence and poor construction, leading to stricter safety regulations in Boston and beyond, and stands as a surreal reminder of an urban landscape transformed by a tidal wave of sugary syrup.

• Date: January 15, 1919
• Key Characters: Residents of Boston's North End, Purity Distilling Company
• Historical Reference: Stephen Puleo, Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (2004); contemporary newspaper accounts (e.g., The Boston Globe).