In 1875 Dublin, a river of burning whiskey flowed and 13 people died, but not from the fire. | The History Page

The Dublin Whiskey Fire erupted on 18 June 1875 in the bustling Liberties district, turning an ordinary evening into one of the strangest disasters in Irish history. When a bonded warehouse caught fire, more than 5,000 barrels of aging whiskey burst open, sending a blazing torrent of alcohol sweeping through the streets. The “river of whiskey,” reported to be roughly six inches (15 cm) deep in places, ignited everything it touched and caused millions in damage from lost liquor alone. Yet the mos