Boston Molasses Disaster

The Boston Molasses Disaster, also known as the Great Molasses Flood and the Great Boston Molasses Tragedy, occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts in the United States. A large molasses storage tank burst, and a wave of 9 million liter of molasses rushed through the streets at an estimated 60 km/h, killing 21 and injuring 150. Nearby, buildings were swept off their foundations and crushed. Several blocks were flooded to a depth of one meter. The event has entered local folklore, and residents claim that on hot summer days, the area still smells of molasses. It took over 87,000 man hours to remove the molasses from the cobblestone streets, theaters, businesses, automobiles, and homes, meanwhile kids could skate on the hard and thick layers of glazed syrup.