The Great Molasses Flood might sound sweet, or even silly. However, this traumatic flood is no laughing matter as comedian, actress, and Dorchester native, Ayo Edebiri notes in her recent interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Edebiri states she “wishes she’d been there as things would’ve been different.” Tragically 21 people lost their lives in Boston’s Great Molasses Flood. It took the city over 70 years to recover from the damages of the syrupy flood.
Read on for a brief history of this catastrophic flood forever marked in Boston’s history:
What is the Great Molasses flood?
The Great Molasses Flood, also referred to as the Boston Molasses Disaster, is marked as one of the obscenest tragedies in the food industry. Over 2 million gallons of molasses flooded the streets of Boston at speeds up to 35 miles per hour!
When was the Great Molasses flood?
The Great Molasses Flood occurred on January 15, 1919, at approximately 12:30 PM.
Where was the Great Molasses flood?
The flood erupted in Boston’s North End neighborhood. Documentations report the explosion of molasses felt like an earthquake at the time, followed by a tsunami of sticky molasses quickly flooding the streets.
What was then known as the Purity Distilling Company owned the molasses tank at 529 Commercial Street in North End, the sight of the molasses explosion. The tank housed 2.3 million gallons of molasses and stood 50 feet tall with a circumference of 283 feet.
What caused the Great Molasses flood?
A “cylinder stress failure” is the marked cause. In layman’s terms, the Purity Distilling Company tank, built in 1915, likely burst from thermal expansion caused by abrupt temperature changes. This happened when more molasses was filtered into the tank on an unseasonably warm winter day.
Who was responsible?
A variety of elements were suspect to be at play. The main suspects at play include sudden temperature changes and structural defects in the tank. The Purity Distilling Company who owned that tank paid over $1 million in settlement claims for the flood (the equivalent of over $18 million today).
How many people died in the Great Molasses flood?
21 people died as well as dozens of horses. Over 150 people endured injuries in the flood. If you’re wondering “how do people die of molasses?”-the combination of force, speed, crumbling buildings, and airborne infrastructure are to blame.
“A 40-foot wave of molasses buckled the elevated railroad tracks, crushed buildings and inundated the neighborhood.” The wave of molasses was powerful enough to flip the T and send steel panels flying through the streets.
How long did it take to clean up the Great Molasses flood?
Crews and marines came from all over to help with immediate reparations. The molasses stretched from the Commercial Street impact point through most of the North End, where Mirabella Pool, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, and other famous spots are.
While there are long-standing jokes like “I survived the Great Molasses Flood,” among Bostonians there are truly thousands of survivors who lived on to share the tale of this mystical flood that took place over 100 years ago.