On January 15, 1919, a 20-foot-tall wave of molasses, traveling at 25 mph, ripped through North Boston causing massive destruction and killing 21 people. It was caused when a 50ft tall tank, storing 2.3 million gallons of molasses collapsed. The molasses had industrial purposes, used in creating alcoholic drinks and compounds for explosives.
Along with the death and injuries, there was widespread damage -- an elevated rail line was bent, and several other buildings were demolished, with many more suffering different degrees of damage. The rescue and cleanup were difficult because, well... molasses is sticky. Eventually it was discovered sea water could break down the molasses, so water was pump from the bay and sprayed over the area.
The owners of the tank, trying to dodge liability for its failure, tried to blame an anarchist bombing plot, but that claim was dismissed and they were found liable due to poor construction. It was to lead to tightening building regulations to improve safety.
Below are some pictures of the aftermath of the molasses flood. As an aside, I've posted about molasses once before.
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