“2.3 million gallons” That is a number so immense it seems impossible. Yet here at the Great Molasses Flood Plaque, we remember a day when that much molasses surged through Boston’s North End. The Great Molasses Flood Plaque marks a tragic event forever etched in Boston’s history.
Let me tell you about the Great Molasses Flood. It was January 15, 1919. The day was unseasonably warm for Boston. A massive tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst. This tank was located at 529 Commercial Street. A wave of molasses rushed through the streets.
Imagine a wave 40 feet high moving at 35 miles per hour. The Great Molasses Flood crushed buildings. It buckled elevated railroad tracks. The Great Molasses Flood inundated the neighborhood. The density of molasses is about 40 percent more dense than water. This resulted in the molasses having a great deal of potential energy.
The Great Molasses Flood claimed 21 lives and injured 150 people. Horses also died. The wounded included people, horses and dogs. Some victims were crushed. Some drowned in the molasses. Others were struck by debris.
First responders faced an almost impossible task. Cadets from the USS Nantucket were among the first to arrive. They waded into the knee-deep molasses to rescue survivors. The Boston Police, Red Cross, Army and Navy soon joined. The molasses made rescue efforts incredibly difficult. It took four days to stop searching. Many dead were hard to recognize because they were glazed in molasses.
The aftermath of the Great Molasses Flood was chaotic. Cleanup crews used salt water and sand. They tried to wash away and absorb the molasses. The harbor remained brown with molasses until summer. The cleanup in the area took weeks. The sticky mess spread everywhere. It was reported that everything a Bostonian touched was sticky.
The United States Industrial Alcohol company owned the tank. It faced a class-action lawsuit from 119 residents. The company tried to blame anarchists for the disaster. But an investigation found USIA responsible. The company paid out $628,000 in damages. Some relatives of those killed received around $7,000 per victim.
Several factors contributed to the disaster of the Great Molasses Flood. The tank may have leaked from the day it was first filled in 1915. The tank’s construction was poor. Safety tests were insufficient. The steel was half as thick as it should have been. The steel lacked manganese and was brittle.
The Great Molasses Flood led to changes in building regulations. These included requirements for oversight by licensed architects and civil engineers.
Today, Langone Park and Puopolo Park occupy the site. This Great Molasses Flood Plaque serves as a reminder. It marks the spot where the tank once stood. The plaque reads, “On January 15, 1919, a molasses tank at 529 Commercial Street exploded under pressure, killing 21 people.”
Even decades later, some claimed the area smelled of molasses on hot summer days. The Great Molasses Flood remains a significant event in Boston’s history. It serves as a reminder of the importance of safety and oversight.