Great Molasses Flood site

On January 15, 1919, a 2.3 million-gallon molasses storage tank owned by the Purity Distilling Company burst on Commercial Street, sending a wave of molasses through the North End. The disaster killed 21 people and injured about 150; it caused extensive property damage along the tank's path. The event prompted changes in industrial regulation and remains a documented part of Boston history. A marker near the site commemorates the flood and its victims.