A sticky wave of molasses crushed Boston's North End in 1919
In short: On an unseasonably warm afternoon in January 1919, residents heard a low rumble. They thought it was a passing train, but it was actually a 50-foot tall tank rupturing, releasing a massive, deadly wave of molasses that surged through the streets at 35 miles per hour.
The disaster occurred on January 15, 1919, in Boston's North End. At approximately 1 p.m., a massive storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company collapsed. This released between 2 million and 2.3 million gallons of industrial-grade molasses into the crowded neighborhood, creating a wave that moved at roughly 35 miles per hour.
The destruction was immense. The surge of molasses knocked an Elevated train off its tracks, crushed various buildings, and even moved a firehouse off its foundation. The wave was powerful enough to suffocate both humans and animals in its path. While the exact death toll is not specified in all sources, the sheer scale of the impact on the community was devastating.
Investigations into the failure revealed a combination of shoddy construction and environmental factors. Structural engineers later determined that the tank's walls were far too thin to support the weight of the heavy molasses. Additionally, the chemical composition of the walls made them prone to cracking. The disaster was triggered by a sudden temperature change and the pressure of a large new shipment.
The Purity Distilling Company had been aware of issues with the tank for some time. Local residents had observed molasses seeping from the seams, leading children to collect the liquid in pails. Rather than fixing the structural flaws, the company reportedly painted the tank brown to disguise the oozing molasses from public view.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Boston Molasses Disaster of 1919
- Also: Great Molasses Flood | Definition, Fatalities, & Facts | Britannica
- Also: 100 years ago today: Molasses crashes through Boston's North End
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