On July 6, 1944, spectators attended a performance of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford. The show takes place under a large tent in cotton canvas. To resist the rain, this canvas received a treatment containing flammable materials.
When the fire breaks out, the cover that was supposed to protect the public becomes a major part of the disaster. The flames spread rapidly in the occupied tent. Many spectators die or are injured. The historical counts are not all identical, and no single number is included here.
The story published by the Connecticut Fire Department links this drama to the evolving U.S. rules for tents. As early as 1945, a reference text imposed requirements concerning the propagation of flames on their materials.
The rain treatment had increased the risk of fire. The exact origin of the fire remains uncertain.
What we know
The initial cause of the fire is unstated; historical records diverge.
To go to the source
References accessed October 11, 2026. Linked pages may be in another language.
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