Exactly 100 years ago on the 15th of January 2019, a tank containing 2.3 million gallons of molasses ruptured in Boston’s North End, resulting in a wave of the viscous liquid flowing at a shocking 35 miles per hour through the streets. 21 people were killed in the incident, and 150 more were injured. Though the incident may seem bizarre or even comical, it actually has implications that are still relevant today.
The tank in question was 50 feet high and made of solid steel. It is believed that the rupture was caused by rising pressures inside of the tank, since molasses produces carbon dioxide when it ferments. It belonged to the Purity Distilling Company, located at 529 Commercial Street. Lax inspection and insufficient safety measures- in short, cutting corners- seem to have led to the accident. One of the most basic tests required for a tank such as this one is for it to be filled with water to check for leaks. However, this test was not performed. As it turned out, the tank did leak when initially filled with molasses. The owner’s answer to this was to paint over the cracks in brown to conceal them. Prohibition was set to be officially enacted about a year after the day the flood took place; the company was thus pressured to ferment a great deal of molasses before it took effect and alcohol was banned. Prioritizing profits over safety led to the curious occurrence now known as the Great Boston Molasses Flood.
Legislation surrounding construction and personal injury has changed since, and in part due to, the Great Boston Molasses Flood. Today it is required by law that plans be approved by an engineer that has completed their education at an ABET-accredited university. Plans submitted by the designing engineer must also include signed calculations. The trial was also a historic one. It helped popularize the practice of bringing in expert witnesses- individuals with the qualifications to speak about the specific practices that a case concerns. The civil suit against Purity Distilling Company’s parent company took three years and saw hundreds of witnesses take the stand. Reportedly, the surrounding area smelled of molasses for years. The incident sounds like an urban legend, but was and is all too real.
