Killed 21 people in Boston in 1919.
Injured perhaps 150.
Posted on 06/15/2007 6:19:01 AM PDT by Abathar
BEDFORD, Ind. -- A tank containing 1,500 gallons of molasses ruptured at a feed store, sending the sticky substance flowing into the street, stopping traffic.
Tanks holding the molasses at Flinn Family Farms Bedford Feed & Seed had just been filled Wednesday when one of them ruptured, said David Flinn.
"It flowed almost like a little branch," Flinn said. "From where the tanks sit it just went across the parking lot, down the side of the road and down that way."
Flinn called the fire department and attempted to build a dike to contain the molasses.
The street outside the feed store was closed for about two hours while the mess was hosed into the sewer.
On Thursday, feed store workers were still cleaning out the inside of the store, about 20 miles south of Bloomington.
Molasses is used as an additive to animal food.
In the late 19th century, a huge tank of this stuff exploded in Boston, killing as I remember, over 100 people. They say that when the weather is right, you can still smell molassas in certain parts of old Boston.
It was 90 deg. out, the stuff flowed really easy, it flooded inside the building too. I don’t ever think they will get it all cleaned up, what a mess!
Killed 21 people in Boston in 1919.
Injured perhaps 150.
Wow, what a sticky situation! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.)
When I read this headline, I thought back to “It’s a Gift” one of
W C Fields best films. Molasses was sold in barrels in those days and Baby Leroy opened the spigot spilling all over the floor.
No need to build one - airlift Rosie O'Donnell to the scene. This sort of thing is right up her alley - mass quantitites of animal feed? No Problemo.
Which reminds me. One time this whole mole family was running at top speed down the mole hole, with the father mole in the lead. Suddenly, the father mole stopped very fast. What did the rest of the mole family smell?
Thanks! I haven’t spewed milk out of my nose since I was a kid!
No problemo - just one of the free services we offer here at FR! :-)
So: in 1919 they spilled some ‘lassus in Boston. Today, in Bedford (IN, not MA) they spilled some mo’ lassus.
Maybe for your not-a-ping list
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