The unusual case was caused by an explosion in a brewery and caused nine deaths. The company was acquitted because the courts considered the accident to be an “act of God”.
On October 17, 1814, an unusual and catastrophic event occurred in London: a huge beer flood.
The disaster began at the Horse Shoe Brewery on Tottenham Court Road, where a huge 6.7 meter vat containing 3,500 barrels of brown porter suddenly burst, releasing more than 1 million liters of beer on the streets.
The resulting wave, which would have reached 4.6 meters highswept through the densely populated area, destroying homes and businesses.
The fatalities include eight immediate victims, including a bartender who worked at the Tavistock Arms Pub, and a ninth person who reportedly succumbed to alcohol poisoning in the days following the flood.
The aftermath was chaotic. As beer flooded the streets, residents scrambled to salvage what they could, some drinking straight off the streets. Although the beer ended up leaking, its pungent smell it remained in the area for months, serving as an eerie reminder of the tragedy.
Legal repercussions followed, but the courts considered the disaster a “Act of God”, absolving the brewer of responsibility. However, the financial cost was immense, equating to around £1.25 million in today’s money. The brewery faced immense public and financial scrutiny in the wake of the disaster, reports .
Adding a macabre element to the event, some families displayed the bodies of their deceased relatives to raise funds, a practice that was shockingly popular at the time. One such exhibition attracted so many visitors that the floor gave way, plunging them into a beer-soaked cellar.
The tragedy continues to be one of the most bizarre historical disasters from London. Although the story is often told with a dark sense of humor, the lives lost and the devastation it caused underscore the harsh reality behind what many now consider a peculiar historical anecdote.
