This Day (An America 250 History Show) The Boston Molasses Disaster [Some Sunday Context]
Mar 29, 2026
Cara Jaimo, a science and history writer and Boston native, offers a vivid retelling of the 1919 molasses flood. She recounts the tank rupture, the sticky wave’s immediate havoc, and the neighborhood’s immigrant losses. They explore industrial negligence, the messy cleanup, the strange folklore of a molasses-scented city, and the legal fallout that reshaped collective claims.
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Molasses Wave Killed 21 And Devastated The North End
- The Boston Molasses Flood turned the North End into a scene of brown syrup and blood and killed 21 people while injuring 150.
- A 2.3 million gallon tank burst sending a molasses wave estimated at 35 mph that crushed trolley cars and buildings.
Neighbors Hid Leaks And A Worker Nightly Checked The Tank
- Workers had feared the tank would explode and it leaked so often they painted it brown to hide the stains.
- Maintenance man Isaac Gonzalez checked the tank at night because he feared an explosion, and pieces of the tank flew everywhere when it failed.
Flood Exposed Regulatory Gaps In Early 20th Century Industry
- The flood exemplified industrial neglect in an era before occupational safety regulations.
- Nicole Hemmer emphasizes lack of agencies like OSHA and the wider political issue of dangerous rapid industrialization.
