The Boston Molasses Flood of 1919

The Boston Molasses Disaster of 1919 killed twenty one people when a giant tank exploded and

flooded the streets with over two million gallons of molasses. The wave reached twenty five feet

high and moved at thirty five miles per hour through the North End neighborhood. People and horses

were trapped in the sticky mess, and the cleanup took weeks because molasses is incredibly

difficult to remove. The tank belonged to a company that was cutting corners on safety,

and witnesses reported it was leaking so badly that locals would collect molasses in cups.

On that January day, the temperature rose rapidly, causing pressure

to build inside the tank until it exploded like a bomb. The force was so