Was the North End’s Molasses Flood the Worst Food Disaster?

Posted on Author Matt ContiComment(1)

mollassesdisaster-1MentalFloss.com presents the North End’s Molasses Flood against two other food disasters:

1. Molasses Flood of 1919

“It moved quite fast as it slithered through the town into a destructive fist that flipped houses and buildings, knocked over horses as if they were tasty slices of French toast and even smashed an elevated railroad structure “like an eggshell.”

2. The London Beer Flood of 1814

“Rescue attempts were blocked and delayed by the thousands who flocked to the area to drink directly off the road. And when survivors were finally brought to the hospital, the other patients became convinced from the smell that the hospital was serving beer to every ward except theirs. A riot broke out, and even more people were left injured.”

3. The Wales Tapioca Freighter Time Bomb of 1972

“The water from the firefighter’s hoses seeped into the cargo hold, and the fire started cooking the tapioca. The food swelled to massive size and raised concerns that 500 truckloads of the dessert treat could buckle the ship’s supports and sink it.”

Read the full article.

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One Reply to “Was the North End’s Molasses Flood the Worst Food Disaster?”

  1. After reading Steven Puleo’s "Dark Tide", I can’t think of a worst way to die than asphyxiation by molasses. *shivers* As described in the book, one man’s hair turned gray overnight before he died(lack of oxygen, I assume.)

    The book gives such a terrific account of the North End during WWI – I felt like I was there just reading it.

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