On January 15, 1919, at about 12:30 PM, in the North End area of Boston, a strange event unfolded on an unusually warm day. Firefighters were playing cards, kids were heading home from school, and various folks were going about their daily routines. Suddenly, chaos erupted with a thunderous noise resembling machine gun fire. What followed was a shocking 15-foot-high wave, traveling at 35 mph, but it wasn't water; it was 2.3 million gallons of molasses. In mere minutes, 150 people were injured, and tragically, 21 lives were lost.
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| The molasses tank in North End, Boston prior to the 1919 explosion and molasses flood. |
The Molasses Industry in Massachusetts
For over 200 years, Massachusetts relied on the molasses trade, particularly for producing rum. By the 1700s, Boston boasted about 25 distilleries, producing around 200,000 gallons of rum annually. A massive storage tank, holding around two and a half million gallons, stood on the Boston waterfront in the North End. After World War I, during the era of Prohibition, the tank changed hands from Purity Distilling Company to United States Industrial Alcohol (USIA), continuing alcohol production for war-related purposes.
Unraveling the Mystery
Determining the cause of the explosion took years. Initially, various theories, including domestic terrorism, were considered. However, the prevailing understanding today attributes the disaster to poor maintenance and drastic temperature changes. The days leading up to the explosion experienced sub-zero temperatures, but on that day, it rose to 40°F (4°C). The tank, filled with molasses from Puerto Rico, underwent significant temperature fluctuations, fostering fermentation and thermal expansion.
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| The wreckage at the disaster site in North End, Boston shortly after the explosion of the molasses tank and subsequent flood, January 1919. |
Swift Tragedy, Prolonged Investigation
Although the disaster unfolded rapidly, the investigation endured for over five years, with nearly 3,000 witnesses testifying during the court trial. The explosion affected people working nearby, including those in a city paving department shack, a brick firehouse, and an elevated railway. The aftermath was devastating, with fatalities, injuries, and extensive property damage.
Legal Battles and Lasting Impact
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| The front page of The Boston Post on January 16th, 1919, the day after the molasses flood. |
The search for accountability led to a protracted legal battle. United States Industrial Alcohol attributed the disaster to a Bolshevik bombmaker, while accusations ranged from poor maintenance to the absence of building codes. The ensuing legal battle marked the first major class action lawsuit against a corporation in the US, concluding in 1925 with victims and families awarded $628,000 in damages. This landmark case influenced the development of modern building construction standards and regulations, shaping safety practices we take for granted today.
