In 1919, the Purity Distilling Company facility kept over 2 million gallons of molasses in a massive cylindrical tank to convert into alcohol and ethanol. One day in January, the temperature climbed above freezing, warming the substance enough to expand and shatter the tank. Eyewitness accounts reported a loud, ominous roar and machine gun sounds as the molasses deluge ripped buildings off their foundations. Numerous horses and people were trapped in the sticky tsunami. Its speed was estimated to be a staggering 35 mph.
Ever heard the expression "slow as molasses in January?" The residents
of Boston didn't think so.