Can you still smell the molasses from the Great Molasses Flood?

How long did Boston smell like molasses?

The molasses flooded streets, crushed buildings and trapped horses in an event that ultimately killed 21 people and injured 150 more. The smell of molasses lingered for decades. One hundred years later, analyses have pinpointed a handful of factors that combined to make the disaster so disastrous.

How did they clean up the Great Molasses Flood?

It took months to clean up after the disaster. The main method of clean-up was to wash the molasses in the Boston Harbor. After the bulk had been washed out to sea salt and sand were poured across the affected area to soak up the molasses. For years to come, locals described the streets and surfaces as being sticky.

How long did it take to clean the molasses flood?

It took weeks to clean the molasses from the streets of Boston. This disaster also produced an epic court battle, as more than 100 lawsuits were filed against the United States Industrial Alcohol Company.

How long did it take to recover from the Great Molasses Flood?

In total, it would take about six months to get the area back to normal, including the reconstruction of the damaged elevated railway that connected passengers between North and South stations, according to Puleo.

Has anyone ever drowned in molasses?

About 150 people were injured, and 21 people and several horses were killed. Some were crushed and drowned by the molasses or by the debris that it carried within. The wounded included people, horses, and dogs; coughing fits became one of the most common ailments after the initial blast.

How many horses died during the molasses flood?

On January 15, 1919, the North End of Boston experienced an odd incident in which 2.3 million gallons of molasses exploded out of a tank and into the city. It knocked out some buildings and even led to a number of deaths. 21 people and 12 horses died.

How much damage did the molasses flood cause?

This bizarre and terrifying event, known as the Great Molasses Flood, claimed 21 lives, with victims ranging in age from 10 to 78. Some 150 persons were injured, and the damage to property — much of which had cascaded into nearby Boston Harbor — amounted to about $100 million in today's money.

Does Boston still smell like molasses?

A 40-foot wave of molasses buckled the elevated railroad tracks, crushed buildings and inundated the neighborhood. … Local legend has it that on particularly warm days, you can still smell the faint aroma of molasses seeping up from the streets of the old North End.