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Negligent supply storage led to tragedy in 1919 Great Molasses Flood

Scores were killed or hurt when a faulty tank burst, flooding Boston streets

The ruins of tanks containing more than 2 million gallons of molasses lie in a heap after erupting along the waterfront in Boston's North End neighborhood. (Photo: Associated Press /File)

On Jan. 15, 1919, the city of Boston experienced a unique and horrifying disaster when a tank that stored molasses for a distilling company collapsed, flooding parts of the town. The incident became known as the Great Molasses Flood and caused the industry to rethink how to store supplies.

According to Britannica, a storage tank fermenting molasses initially to create ethanol for World War I weapons collapsed, sending more than 2 million gallons into the city. The accident caused 21 deaths, 150 injuries and heavy damage.

Purity Distilling Co., now owned by United States Industrial Alcohol (USIA), operated the tank on the waterfront Commercial Street. At 12:30 p.m., the container burst, sending waves of molasses an estimated 15 to 40 feet high, rushing at 35 mph.

Many people were swept away, and the winter temperatures caused the molasses to become viscous, trapping and suffocating victims. The density of the substance made it difficult for rescuers to help. Many people also were hurt or killed by passing debris. Some were even thrown into Boston Harbor, where their bodies would not be found for months.


Many animals also died in the flood, including 25 horses. In addition, according to The Boston Globe, houses and other buildings, including a firehouse, were destroyed and swept off their foundations.

It took weeks to clean up the disaster site, and The History Channel says that Boston Harbor was brown until summer. The surrounding neighborhood had a lingering smell of sweetness for almost a decade.

Many victims quickly took legal action against the distilling company. However, USIA claimed the incident was a terrorist attack by those opposed to the ethanol’s use in weapons. But it was clear that the tank was unsound from the start. Since its construction four years before the incident, continual leaks were evident, and passersby claimed to hear loud groaning from the structure for a long time prior to the explosion.

USIA eventually paid damages to the victims after it was ruled in 1925 that the tank was faulty.


FreightWaves Classics articles look at various aspects of the transportation industry’s history. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter!

Brielle Jaekel

Brielle is the deputy editor of Freight Waves and has a more-than-10-year history in B2B publishing, tackling cutting edge stories in business, with four years specifically focused on freight. She’s interviewed numerous CEOs and is adept at finding stories that matter to the industry. She believes in finding a new way forward in the supply chain to solve problems, drive sustainability and put people first. If you’d like to get in touch with Brielle, please email her at bjaekel@freightwaves.com.