Once upon a News, in the bustling town of Boston, there was a giant tank as tall as a house and as round as a carousel. This wasn't just any old tank; it held an ocean of dark, sweet molasses townsfolk used to make yummy treats.
But on one not-so-sweet day, something went very wrong. The giant metal belly full of sticky syrup couldn't hold it in any longer. And just like that – kaboom! It burst open with a groan and a crackle louder than thunder claps!
Imagine if you can, rivers of thick syrup flooding down the streets faster than horses can gallop. Houses were swept away like leaves in the wind, and trains nearly tipped off their tracks by the force of this sugary wave. It might sound almost funny if it were part of a bedtime story. But this was real life and quite scary for those involved.
Now let me tell you why that big ol' tank busted open: they say its walls were thin as piecrust when they needed to be strong like castle walls. Plus, some chilly weather came along, making everything so much worse.
You might wonder how people respond to such an odd disaster? Well, many heroes rose amidst the sticky tide to help each other out — neighbors became friends and strangers became helpers.
And what's our lesson from this tale so bizarre? Sometimes, things aren't built as well as they should be, or we don't think about what might happen if conditions change quickly. When making big plans or even little ones at home — let’s check twice and always prepare for surprises.
Tragically though, 21 folks didn’t make it out alive from this flood. We remember them with heavy hearts because every life is precious no matter how strange their end may come about.
Boston never forgot that sticky day when molasses slowed time itself but taught us all lessons about respect for both nature's rules and building doors strong enough for whatever may come rushing through!
Background Story:
The Great Boston Molasses Flood, also known as the Boston Molasses Disaster, occurred on January 15, 1919, when a large storage tank filled with 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst, causing a massive flood that resulted in the deaths of 21 people and injuries to 150 more[2][4][5]. This event did not involve ketchup, as suggested in the initial query, but molasses, a thick, sweet syrup.
The storage tank, owned by the Purity Distilling Company, was located at 529 Commercial Street in Boston's North End[2][5]. The tank was 50 feet tall and 240 feet in circumference, and it was capable of holding up to 2.3 million gallons of molasses[4][5]. The tank had been filled to near capacity, and the molasses had likely fermented, producing carbon dioxide that increased the pressure inside the tank[10].
On the day of the disaster, the tank burst open at approximately 12:30 p.m., releasing a wave of molasses that was 25 feet high at its peak and moved at a speed of 35 mph[2][4]. The wave was of such force that it drove steel panels of the burst tank against the girders of the elevated train tracks nearby, swept buildings off their foundations, and flooded several blocks to a depth of 2 to 3 feet[2][5].
The high viscosity and density of the molasses, which is about 40% denser than water, made the flood particularly destructive and deadly[2]. The molasses engulfed people, animals, and vehicles, and the sticky nature of the substance made rescue operations difficult[1][3].
The tank's failure was attributed to several factors, including its shoddy construction, the sudden temperature change, and a large new shipment of molasses[5]. The tank's walls were too thin to hold the heavy molasses, and the chemical composition of the tank's walls made them vulnerable to cracking[5]. The tank had also been leaking prior to the disaster, and locals had reported seeing molasses seeping out at the tank's seams[5][7].
The Great Boston Molasses Flood is considered one of the most unusual industrial accidents in history. The event had a significant impact on Boston's North End neighborhood and is still remembered today for its tragic loss of life and the extensive damage it caused[2][6].
Citations:
[1] http://www.slate.com/blogs/atlas_obscura/2014/05/22/the_molasses_flood_of_1919_killed_21_people_in_boston.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood
[3] https://www.pbs.org/video/the-great-molasses-flood-of-1919-xycnxa/
[4] https://petroleumservicecompany.com/blog/1919-great-boston-molasses-flood/
[5] https://www.boston.gov/news/100-years-ago-today-molasses-crashes-through-bostons-north-end
[6] https://www.boston.com/news/history/2019/01/13/victims-great-boston-molasses-flood-1919/
[7] https://blog.thinkreliability.com/great-molasses-flood-of-1919
[8] https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Molasses-Flood
[9] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/great-molasses-flood-boston-anniversary-syrup-disaster-death-toll-a8727026.html
[10] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/molasses-flood-physics-science/
[11] https://www.historytoday.com/archive/sticky-tragedy-boston-molasses-disaster
[12] https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e2803b361f7e4256b0fd269a7ab01427
[13] https://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/great-molasses-flood.html
[14] https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/boston-molasses-flood-anniversary-an-anthology-of-remarkable-food-disasters
[15] https://www.freightwaves.com/news/negligent-supply-storage-led-to-tragedy-in-1919-great-molasses-flood
[16] https://www.oldsaltblog.com/2020/01/one-hundred-one-years-ago-today-the-great-boston-molasses-flood-of-1919/
[17] https://time.com/5500592/boston-great-molasses-flood-100/
[18] https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/685154620/a-deadly-tsunami-of-molasses-in-bostons-north-end