What caused the Boston molasses disaster?
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1919, 2.3 million gallons of molasses flooded the north end neighbourhood of Boston, Mass. The reason for the flood could be attributed to human error. … The tank's steel walls were too thin to support a full tank of molasses.
When was the molasses disaster?
January 15, 1919 Great Molasses Flood/Start dates Great Molasses Flood, disaster in Boston that occurred after a storage tank collapsed on January 15, 1919, sending more than two million gallons (eight million litres) of molasses flowing through the city's North End. The deluge caused extensive damage and killed 21 people.
Who is to blame for the molasses flood?
The closing arguments alone took 11 weeks, but in April 1925, state auditor Hugh W. Ogden finally ruled that United States Industrial Alcohol was to blame for the disaster. Rather than a bomb, he concluded that the company's poor planning and lack of oversight had led to the tank's structural failure.
How many horses died in the Great 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.
Was there ever a molasses flood?
The Great Molasses Flood, also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, was a disaster that occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. … The event entered local folklore and residents claimed for decades afterwards that the area still smelled of molasses on hot summer days.
How was the molasses flood cleaned up?
Millions of gallons of salt water were pumped in to wash away the molasses — a process that would leave the harbor with a shade of brown for months afterwards, he said.
How did the molasses tank explode?
A 40-foot wave of molasses buckled the elevated railroad tracks, crushed buildings and inundated the neighborhood. Structural defects in the tank combined with unseasonably warm temperatures contributed to the disaster.
Can you swim in molasses?
A wave of molasses does not behave like a wave of water. Molasses is a non-Newtonian fluid, which means that its viscosity depends on the forces applied to it, as measured by shear rate. … Physics also explains why swimming in molasses is near impossible.