The Hartford Circus Fire - July 6, 1944
6,800 souls were in attendance inside the Big Top when it went up. 168 perished, and approximately 600 were injured.
The canvas was waterproofed against rain with a mixture of paraffin wax and gasoline.
It is thought the fire was been started by a careless smoker, but no one really knows.
The absolute best resource, including color movie of the Big Top going up in flames.
My dearly departed Father was 10 years old at the time. He lived 20 miles from the site of the disaster in Willimansett, MA. All he would ever say about that day was "it was the day the clowns cried" and nothing more. I mean go silent and kinda walk away. I don't believe he was there because I am positive I would know about it. But I am sure he knew kids that were there for the show, and between news accounts and their tales of the horror probably frightened the living shit out of him and scarred him for life.
On WTIC AM 1080 during the 11:30 newscast today, they played a recording from the radio broadcast about the fire from that fateful day. Afterward, they interviewed an elderly survivor, who said his uncles were there as well, and knew how to unfasten and drop the sides of the tent, allowing hundreds to escape.
As a firefighter, this is one of those historic deadly fires that we study, because they are the reasons for most of the life safety codes we have today.
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