Image Source: MarkosunDrowning in beer might not be the worst death to some, but it was a real and dramatic event that happened to a central London neighbourhood more than 200 years ago.The year was 1814 and the place Tottenham Court Road. What is today the Dominion Theatre (a West End theatre hosting some of the most brilliant shows and musicals in London) was once a brewery called The Horse Shoe run by Meux and Co. Engraving showing interior of 19th century London brewery. Credit: duncan1890/iStockphotos.comIn 1810 the brewery received an upgrade in the form of a 7-metre high wooden fermentation tank. This giant barrel was able to hold more than 3,500 barrels of the local brown porter ale (a type of beer that was lightly hopped and brewed from 100% brown malt in warmer temperature).However four years later, on the 17th of October, the rings that were holding together the massive tank broke down and created a deadly domino effect that tipped other tanks into spilling their content too. The equivalent of 2.5 million pints of beer rushed out of the building creating 4 meters high wave that destroyed several houses and claimed the life of 8 people.                           9th century engraving of the event. Via: historic-ukThe boozy wave’s power was so strong that immediately destroyed the brewery’s walls and the Tavistock Arms Pub right next to it, trapping teenage employee Eleanor Cooper under the rubble. In another house down the road, Mary Banfield and her daughter were having a tea when the beer wave and the debris caught up along the way hit the house… both were killed.                                    Horseshoe Brewery circa 1830. Image Credit The neighbouring house was mourning the loss of a 2-year-old boy who had died the previous day but another tragedy hit them when the flood reached their basement and destroyed the house. It is said that four people died there.In total 8 people perished in the disaster and many were injured in what was once one of the poorest area of London. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Creative CommonsThe beer company was taken to court but the accident was deemed as an Act of God, and no one took responsibility for what happened. The Horse Shoe Brewery continued working until 1921 when it was replaced by the Dominion Theatre. While there is nothing left to remind us about the disastrous event, a local pub called the Holborn Whippet serves a special porter every year on 17 of October to commemorate the beer flood. Sources: The Vintage News, London Beer Flood – Wikipedia, Historic-uk.com;