London Beer Flood (1814)
Brewery workers ignored warning signs when stress cracks appeared in an enormous wooden vat. The container suddenly ruptured, creating a chain reaction that unleashed 320,000 gallons of beer into the crowded streets. Eight people drowned in the sticky tsunami as it crashed through slum neighborhoods. Homes collapsed under the brewing wave. Courts later ruled this bizarre disaster “an act of God,” preventing victims from receiving compensation.
