The Day Boston Drowned in Molasses: The Sticky Tragedy of 1919
In 1919, a massive tank exploded in Boston, unleashing a 25-foot wave of molasses that killed 21 people. Discover the true story of this sticky traged
The Day Boston Drowned in Molasses: The Sticky Tragedy of 1919
The Day Boston Drowned in Molasses: The Sticky Tragedy of 1919 By USA 360 | Bizarre History & Forgotten Disasters D eath by chocolate sounds like a joke. Death by syrup sounds like a cartoon. But for the people of Boston in 1919, a wave of sticky, brown molasses was a terrifying reality. It remains one of the strangest and most horrific disasters in American history. On a warm winter afternoon, a massive tank exploded. It unleashed a tsunami of syrup that flattened a neighborhood. This isn't an urban legend—it’s the day Boston drowned. The Monster on Commercial Street In the North End of Boston, the Purity Distilling Company had built a monster. It was a steel holding tank, standing 50 feet tall and 90 feet wide. Inside, it held a staggering amount of molasses. Why so much syrup? Back then, molasses wasn't just for cookies. It was a valuable resource used for: Creating industrial alcohol for explosives. Manufacturing munitions for World War I. Rum production. The tank held 2.3 millio…
