Great Molasses Flood site

On January 15, 1919, a large molasses storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company on Commercial Street ruptured, releasing an estimated 2.3 million gallons of molasses into the surrounding neighborhood. The collapse produced a wave of molasses that destroyed buildings, damaged infrastructure, and killed 21 people while injuring many others. The disaster prompted investigations into industrial safety and has remained a noted episode in Boston's urban and industrial history.