Blogmocracy in Action!
Guest post by: Smokefire!
For some of us today is an important day. 67 years ago today the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was holding a show in Hartford, CT. The weather was hot and humid. One has to remember that it was only a month before that the Allies had landed in Normandy. Hartford, like many other locales, was abuz with defense industry work. Men were in the service and women and children were left to fend for themselves. Many of these people worked at the defense plants in the Hartford area. The circus was a welcome escape from the war. The afternoon show had just begun when according to some, there was a small fire in a section of the big top tent. That tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of white gasoline and paraffin wax. The normal waterproofing chemical had been a priority for the war effort. This made the tent a veritable torch.
The small fire quickly spread up the tent. Many spectators thought that this was part of the show and did not move. The circus people knew better. The band quickly went into the march “Stars and Stripes Forever”, which was the circus’s warning of an emergency. Finally people started to leave, and sadly panic ensued. People pushed, trampled, and pulled others. Children and adults were crushed, the fire spread rapidly, and finally the several ton tent collapsed trapping people underneath. The Hartford fire department was on the scene in minutes, but could do nothing other than wet down other sections of the circus grounds. People wandered all around the Barbour St. grounds, and surrounding streets, trying to find loved ones. Many of the victims were transported to local hospitals where many died. Many endured painful recoveries.
One hundred and sixty eight people, including 68 children lost their lives. There were many mysteries of how and why the fire started. To this day there are still disagreements on the cause of this fire. The biggest mystery was the one of a little girl who was never identified. Only in the last decade or so, there has been evidence of the identity of this girl who went, not by her name, but her number. “Little Miss 1565”. There are two camps who dispute the identity of this girl.
The Hartford Circus Fire, like many other disasters, was the catalyst for new and stricter laws dealing with public assemblies. Today, outdoor events, like the circus big tops are inspected, and fire units are standing by at all times. Escape exits are kept clear, and vigilance is the order of the day.
For those of you that might want to read more on the Hartford Circus Fire here are a few books that cover it in great detail.
1. The Circus Fire, by Stewart O’Nan
2. Circus Fire Memories: Survivor Recollections of July 6, 1944, edited by Don Massey
3. A Matter of Degree. The Hartford Circus Fire and the Mystery of Little Miss 1565, by Don Massey and Rick Davey.
As a firefighter of 36 years service, and a lifelong resident of Connecticut, the Hartford Circus Fire has held a special place for me.
Be Safe.
-Smokefire
