Boston’s Deadly Molasses Flood
Did one molasses storage tank destroy Boston?
4.1 (40)
54 mins
Explore the shocking disaster that sent a massive wave of molasses through Boston’s streets. Discover how a giant storage tank suddenly burst, destroying buildings and sweeping people away. Learn about the deaths, destruction, and warnings that followed one of America’s strangest disasters.
Ep 1:
The Wave That Ate Boston
A sweltering January thaw, a groaning tank, and 2.3 million gallons of molasses unleash a deadly wave through Boston—this episode uncovers how greed and wartime profit built a disaster waiting to happen.
Ep 2:
Warning Signs Nobody Heeded
For three years the tank leaked, groaned, and warned everyone who'd listen—but Purity Distilling painted over the danger. Here's how neglect, fermenting gas, and a warm afternoon triggered catastrophe, told through the voices who lived it.
Ep 3:
Molasses, Lies, and the Long Reckoning
Physics explains the impossible speed of a sugary tsunami, while a corporate cover-up blames anarchists to dodge blame. Discover the trial, the science, and the strange legacy molasses left on Boston forever.
Discussions (5)
Randall
Level 6 · 4 days agoSo the tank leaked for 3 years, they painted it brown to hide the stains, and called it a day. Corporate problem solving at its finest.
Levi
Level 7 · 4 days agoThe part about painting the tank brown to hide the leaks instead of fixing them is something I've seen in every workplace I've ever been in.
Harper
Level 5 · 4 days agoThe '35 mph' claim checks out. A 2016 fluid dynamics study confirmed molasses as a shear-thinning fluid, meaning under sudden pressure it flows far faster than its resting viscosity suggests.
