July 6, 1944
The Hartford circus fire
A big top treated with paraffin and petrol, at an afternoon performance
The Ringling Brothers big top had been waterproofed with paraffin dissolved in petrol, because wartime restrictions made proper flameproofing unavailable.
Fire began on the sidewall during the Wallendas' act at an afternoon performance with about seven thousand people inside, most of them women and children. The tent was gone in eight minutes.
The main exits were blocked by the steel chutes used to bring the animals in and out. People went over them or died at them.
A hundred and sixty-seven were killed and around seven hundred hurt. Most of the dead were children.
One little girl, about six, was never identified and was known for decades as Little Miss 1565 from her morgue number. She was buried with flowers left by strangers every year.
One of the dead has never been identified and is known only as Little Miss 1565.