The Great Molasses Flood (also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster and the Great Boston Molasses Flood) occurred on Jan. 15, 1919. The U.S. Industrial Alcohol Company had built a huge storage tank in Boston to store the molasses that was converted into industrial alcohol to make explosives like dynamite. The poorly constructed storage tank held 2.3 million gallons of molasses. Around lunch time, the tank burst open, creating a tsunami of the sticky liquid. It traveled at an estimated 35 miles per hour. The wave covered two city blocks before it petered out. 21 people were killed (not to mention lots of horses and dogs). Can you imagine preparing the bodies for burial? 150 people were injured. The USIAC eventually was forced to pay $7,000 per victim (that’s $103,000 in today’s money). It was said that the area smelled like molasses for decades.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood
https://www.history.com/news/great-molasses-flood-science
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