MicroFactzzz#0103 · 🏛️ History Gone Off the Rails
Beer Tanks Burst and Flooded a London Neighborhood With a Wave Several Meters High
In 1814, a giant brewery tank burst in London, unleashing a wave of hundreds of thousands of liters of beer that destroyed homes and killed several people.
In October 1814, one of the giant wooden fermentation vats at the Meux brewery in London burst, releasing hundreds of thousands of liters of porter beer.
The vat’s failure triggered a domino effect, damaging neighboring casks, and a wave of beer estimated at several meters high surged through the streets of the St Giles district.
The wave destroyed several poorly built homes and flooded basements where poorer families lived at the time — at least eight people died in the disaster, mostly from building collapses or drowning.
The brewery’s owners were later acquitted by a court, which ruled the event an unfortunate accident — allowing the company to avoid paying damages and continue operating.
Sources
- General knowledge / encyclopedic sources
This fact is based on generally available knowledge, not a single, citable source. See how we approach verification.
Krulicza Nora
Want to go deeper?
- History Gone Off the Rails
London’s Parliament Almost Fled the City Because the Thames Smelled So Bad
In the summer of 1858, the stench of untreated sewage in the Thames got so bad that MPs considered relocating Parliament.
Learn more → - History Gone Off the Rails
A Fire Destroyed Nearly an Entire Medieval City — and Official Records Say Almost No One Died
The Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed more than 13,000 homes, yet official records list only a handful of deaths.
Learn more → - History Gone Off the Rails
During the Siege of Paris, Residents Ate the Zoo Animals — Including the Elephants
During the Prussian siege of Paris in 1870-71, hunger got so bad that exotic zoo animals ended up on Parisians’ dinner plates.
Learn more → - History Gone Off the Rails
During a Siege in Africa, a Town Ran Out of Cash — So It Printed Its Own Currency from Stamps
During the Siege of Mafeking in the Second Boer War, a cut-off British garrison printed its own banknotes and stamps to keep the town’s economy running.
Learn more →