# Sweet Disaster (DD-753)

> In 1919, a 25-foot wave of molasses tore through Boston at 35 mph and killed 21 people.

- Department: Dark Facts
- First published: 2026-10-17
- Last updated: 2026-10-17
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/great-molasses-flood/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **Jan. 15, 1919**: A molasses tank splits open in Boston's North End
- **1925**: The tank's owner is found liable after a 5-year legal fight

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=great-molasses-flood

## Quick facts

- **DD-753-F01**: January 15, 1919: Around 12:40 PM, a 50-foot steel tank in Boston's North End split open. _(Slide 02 · Exhibit A)_
- **DD-753-F02**: 2.3 million gallons: About 8.7 million liters of molasses flooded two city blocks within seconds. _(Slide 03 · Exhibit B)_
- **DD-753-F03**: 35 mph: Up to 25 feet tall and 160 feet wide, it ripped a firehouse off its foundation. _(Slide 04 · Exhibit C)_
- **DD-753-F04**: The cold made it deadlier: Molasses is ~4,000x more viscous than water. In the winter air it thickened and trapped victims. _(Slide 05 · Exhibit D)_
- **DD-753-F05**: 21 dead. 150 injured.: Boston Harbor stayed stained brown until summer. _(Slide 06 · Exhibit E)_
- **DD-753-F06**: It leaked for years: Kids collected the drips. The company's fix: paint the tank brown. _(Slide 07 · Exhibit F)_
- **DD-753-F07**: 6 inches of water: Its only leak test. A full test was called “an unnecessary expense.” _(Slide 08 · Exhibit G)_
- **DD-753-F08**: $628,000: In 1925, after a 5-year legal fight, the owner was found liable. Roughly $8–9 million today. _(Slide 09 · Exhibit H)_

## Write-up

A 25-foot wave of molasses killed 21 people in Boston. January 15, 1919. It moved at 35 mph.

1. **January 15, 1919**: Around 12:40 PM, a 50-foot steel tank in Boston's North End split open.
2. **2.3 million gallons**: About 8.7 million liters of molasses flooded two city blocks within seconds.
3. **35 mph**: Up to 25 feet tall and 160 feet wide, it ripped a firehouse off its foundation.
4. **The cold made it deadlier**: Molasses is ~4,000x more viscous than water. In the winter air it thickened and trapped victims.
5. **21 dead. 150 injured.**: Boston Harbor stayed stained brown until summer.
6. **It leaked for years**: Kids collected the drips. The company's fix: paint the tank brown.
7. **6 inches of water**: Its only leak test. A full test was called “an unnecessary expense.”
8. **$628,000**: In 1925, after a 5-year legal fight, the owner was found liable. Roughly $8–9 million today.

## Related case files

- [Not So Well (DD-719)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/not-so-well/): I linked another man-made disaster that left a mess behind for months

## Questions & answers

**Q: How much molasses flooded Boston's North End?**  
A: About 2.3 million gallons, roughly 8.7 million liters, flooded two city blocks within seconds. _(Source: Slide 03 · Exhibit B (2.3 million gallons))_

**Q: Why did the January cold make the flood deadlier?**  
A: Molasses is about 4,000 times more viscous than water, and in the winter air it thickened and trapped victims. _(Source: Slide 05 · Exhibit D (The cold made it deadlier))_

**Q: How many people died?**  
A: 21 people died and 150 were injured. _(Source: Slide 06 · Exhibit E (21 dead. 150 injured.))_

**Q: What was the company's fix for the leaking tank?**  
A: It leaked for years, kids collected the drips, and the company painted the tank brown. _(Source: Slide 07 · Exhibit F (It leaked for years))_

**Q: How much was the owner found liable for in 1925?**  
A: $628,000 after a 5-year legal fight, roughly $8–9 million today. _(Source: Slide 09 · Exhibit H ($628,000))_

## Sources

- Sources not logged yet.

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Sweet Disaster." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-753, last updated Oct 17, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/great-molasses-flood/