- The Boston Molasses Disaster occurred on January 15, 1919, killing 21 people and injuring 150
- A 2.3 million gallon molasses tank burst, creating a 25-foot wave moving at 56 km/h
- The tank leaked molasses soon after 1915 construction, but leaks were painted over, not fixed
Over 106 years ago, Boston's North End faced one of the most bizarre and tragic disasters in history. On January 15, 1919, a storage tank holding 2.3 million US gallons of molasses suddenly burst, claiming 21 lives and injuring around 150 people.
The molasses formed a wave up to 25 feet high and moved at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour. Witnesses described the thick, fast-moving syrup sweeping through the streets at an incredible speed. The disaster happened at the Purity Distilling Company on Commercial Street in Boston.
Problems with the tank
Constructed in 1915, the molasses tank experienced issues almost immediately. Children even gathered buckets of the sticky liquid after they saw molasses leaking from the tank.
Instead of fixing the leaks after complaints were made, the company simply painted the tank brown to hide them.
The tank explodes
Suddenly, the bolts at the bottom of the molasses tank burst, causing hot molasses to rush out quickly.
After the tank burst, the streets were filled with waist-deep, thick, sticky liquid that could be fermented to make alcohol. People and animals were getting stuck and struggling to come out. Horses trapped in the molasses died quickly.
Molasses acted like a powerful, sticky flood that destroyed buildings, vehicles, and anything in its path.
Rescuers rush to the scene
Emergency teams acted quickly. The Boston Police Department, Red Cross volunteers, and cadets from the USS Nantucket, docked nearby, joined rescue efforts. Most victims were labourers and drivers working at the North End Paving Yard and Copps Hill Wharf.
How did they clean?
The molasses coated everything in its path, making debris, vehicles, and buildings nearly impossible to move. City workers discovered that spraying saltwater from the harbor helped break down the sticky substance.
Cause of the incident
After the Boston Molasses Disaster, a three-year trial was held to determine who was responsible. The court found that the Purity Distilling Company was legally liable for the accident.
The investigation report revealed that the company had inadequate maintenance procedures despite already leaking molasses. It was also found that the tank's walls were far too thin to safely hold such a heavy load of molasses. The metal used in the tank was also prone to cracking.
