Solving a Mystery Behind the Deadly ‘Tsunami of Molasses’ of 1919

It was January. The place was Boston. And when 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst from a gigantic holding tank in the city’s North End, 21 people were killed and about 150 more were left injured. The wave of syrup — some reports said it was up to 40 feet tall — rushed through the waterfront, destroying buildings, overturning vehicles and pushing a firehouse off its foundation. For the past 100 years, no one really knew why the spill was so deadly.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/26/science/boston-molasses-flood-science.html?source=Snapzu