The Hartford Circus Fire

In 1944, as the Second World War was coming to a close, travelling circuses were still a major form of entertainment in America. On July 6, 1944, the Ringling Brothers Circus came to Hartford, Connecticut. During the afternoon show the main tent, packed with children and women, began to burn. The canvas tent, waterproofed with paraffin and kerosen, went up in a terrifying rush of flame. The performers, warned by the orchestra, escaped in time, but 168 of the hundreds of circus goers died in the ensuing inferno. Most of the victims were children. The Ringling Brothers began to make their tents out of flame-retardant material after the fire. Even so, the outrage following the fire effectively ended the big top era.