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    Boston Molasses Disaster

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    Percival Tordilla
    A large molasses storage tank exploded in Boston in 1919. The explosion was powerful enough to tear apart steel plates and knock buildings off their foundations. A flood of 2.3 million gallons of molasses rushed through the streets at 35 mph, destroying structures, crushing vehicles, and derailing a train. The molasses wave was 8-15 feet tall and exerted a force of 2 tons per square foot. Twenty-one people were killed and 150 injured in the devastation. Cleanup efforts were complicated by the molasses spreading further as water was used to wash it away.

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    Boston Molasses Disaster

    Uploaded by

    Percival Tordilla
    122 views16 pages
    A large molasses storage tank exploded in Boston in 1919. The explosion was powerful enough to tear apart steel plates and knock buildings off their foundations. A flood of 2.3 million gallons of molasses rushed through the streets at 35 mph, destroying structures, crushing vehicles, and derailing a train. The molasses wave was 8-15 feet tall and exerted a force of 2 tons per square foot. Twenty-one people were killed and 150 injured in the devastation. Cleanup efforts were complicated by the molasses spreading further as water was used to wash it away.

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    A large molasses storage tank exploded in Boston in 1919. The explosion was powerful enough to tear apart steel plates and knock buildings off their foundations. A flood of 2.3 million gallons of molasses rushed through the streets at 35 mph, destroying structures, crushing vehicles, and derailing a train. The molasses wave was 8-15 feet tall and exerted a force of 2 tons per square foot. Twenty-one people were killed and 150 injured in the devastation. Cleanup efforts were complicated by the molasses spreading further as water was used to wash it away.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    122 views16 pages

    Boston Molasses Disaster

    Uploaded by

    Percival Tordilla
    A large molasses storage tank exploded in Boston in 1919. The explosion was powerful enough to tear apart steel plates and knock buildings off their foundations. A flood of 2.3 million gallons of molasses rushed through the streets at 35 mph, destroying structures, crushing vehicles, and derailing a train. The molasses wave was 8-15 feet tall and exerted a force of 2 tons per square foot. Twenty-one people were killed and 150 injured in the devastation. Cleanup efforts were complicated by the molasses spreading further as water was used to wash it away.

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    You are on page 1of 16

    Boston Molasses Disaster

    January 15, 1919


    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2011 1

    The Scene
    A cast-iron molasses tank in Boston at the Purity Distilling Co.
    58 feet high 90 feet wide Cast-iron plates
    sunk in concrete riveted together

    2.3 million gallons of molasses

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    Tank explodes with great force

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    The Flood
    Molasses floods the streets with 8 15 foot waves Moves at speeds of 35 mph Force of 2 tons per square foot Devastates a low-lying section of Commercial Street between Copps Hill and the playground of North End Park
    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009 4

    Area of devastation

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    Map of Area

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    The force of the explosion was so great that:


    Half-inch steel plates of the huge molasses tank were torn apart. ("Seeking Cause of Explosion," The Salem Evening News, January 16, 1919: 7.) The plates were propelled in all directions, hard enough to cut the girders of the elevated railway. (Ibid.) After the explosion, a tremendous vacuum sucked into ruin buildings which had withstood the primary blast. (Ibid.)
    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009 7

    Tank and Elevated Train Line

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    The force of the explosion was so great that:


    The vacuum also picked up a truck and dragged it across the street toward the molasses tank. ("Big Molasses Tank Blast Kills Eleven," The Boston Globe, January 16, 1919: 8.) An elevated train was lifted off the rails and fell onto the ties. (Ibid.)
    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009 9

    The force of the explosion was so great that:


    Some buildings collapsed. Some buildings were knocked off their foundations. Some buildings were buried under the flood of molasses.

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    10

    Rescue Efforts

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    11

    Clean-up Problems
    As clean up began, the molasses spread even further due to the water being sprayed to try to remove the molasses. Soon, seawater was used to try to wash the goo away. This caused another problem. The seawater caused the molasses to bubble and foam and create an even bigger mess.

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    12

    Possible Causes of the Explosion


    Fermentation Sudden rise in temperature (2 F to 43 F) Inadequate tank design and construction

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    13

    Devastation
    21 people killed 150 injured 2.3 million gallons of molasses released Buildings destroyed Cars crushed Elevated train trestles knocked over Company paid $1 million in damages PE registration
    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009 14

    Contemporary account

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    15

    ME 6222: Manufacturing Processes and Systems Prof. J.S. Colton (C) GIT 2009

    16

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