The Purity Distilling Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts, was responsible for the storage and transfer of molasses for various industrial purposes. The company's facility at 529 Commercial Street housed a massive tank that held up to 2.3 million U.S. gallons of molasses, which tragically burst open on January 15, 1919, causing the infamous Great Molasses Flood.
With a tank standing 50 feet tall and 90 feet in diameter, the Purity Distilling Company played a significant role in the molasses industry, offloading shipments from ships and storing the sticky substance for later processing. The catastrophic event resulted in 21 fatalities, 150 injuries, and widespread destruction in the North End neighborhood of Boston, leaving a lasting impact on the local community and folklore.
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