This rupture triggered a catastrophic chain reaction causing several other vats to fail in quick succession. The resulting tidal wave of beer rushed forth leaving destruction in its wake.
The power of the released beer was immense. The force not only knocked down the brewery’s walls but also swept away two neighbouring houses and damaged another a number of other buildings. In a tragic twist of fate, eight people lost their lives in the deluge, among them was a little girl who was attending a wake being held for another child. The torrent of beer crashed into the house where the wake was taking place, killing her and other people the,