Circus Fire Burns: 168 Die in Hartford Tragedy
The big top at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford, Connecticut had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin wax dissolved in gasoline, essentially turning the massive canvas tent into a giant wick. When fire broke out on July 6, 1944, the tent ignited almost instantly, raining molten paraffin on the 6,000 to 8,000 spectators below. Exits were blocked by animal chutes and steel barriers. Within ten minutes, 168 people were dead, including many children, and over 700 were injured. The disaster led to sweeping fire safety reforms for public assembly venues across the United States, including mandatory flame-retardant materials and clearly marked emergency exits.
July 6, 1944
82 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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