The bulk of the book contains minibiographies of those who perished in the hartford circus fire. Several books have been written about the hartford circus fire. Through firsthand accounts, interviews with survivors and a gripping collection of vintage photographs, author michael skidgell attempts to make sense of one of hartfordas worst tragedies. The first thing that interested me about this book was the intro. Ringling brothers, barnum and bailey circus, hartford, connecticut, usa. Halfway through a midsummer afternoon performance, ringling brothers barnum and bailey circuss big top caught fire. Youth journalism international coverage of the 70th anniversary event remembering the hartford circus fire, held july 6, 2014 at the mark twain house in hartford. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the circus fire study guide and get instant access to the following summary. It took the lives of 167169 people and left more than 700 injured. The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of paraffin and gasoline. Onan is amazing in his handling of the abundance of facts, rumors and legends that have built up around this fire. One is the extensive collection of diagrams and photographs which appear on nearly every page and help the reader picture the time frame and severity of the events which occurred on july 6, 1944. Before writing the book, davey spent six years researching the case and conducting his own experiments as to how the fire really may have started.
Most died from exposure to the fire and smoke, but a significant number were also trampled. The mystery of the hartford circus fire in connecticut is. The great tragedy of the hartford circus fire and how it. Books about the hartford circus fire libguides home. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Remembering the horror and heroes of a circus fire maureen krekian was 11 when a fire ripped through the circus she was attending in hartford, conn.
Feb 25, 2014 there are two elements saving this book from total mediocrity and appearing to be an extended book report on the hartford circus fire. The acclaimed author of emily, alone and henry, himself brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of tragedy and heroismthe great hartford circus fire of 1944. He has served in the construction company as a draftsman, engineer, estimator, coordinator and project. Perhaps the most famous victim of the fire was a little girl without a name. This disturbing unsolved mystery in connecticut that will leave you baffled the hartford circus fire was a tragedy that turned into a headscratching mystery. This cptv original documentary uses photographs, archival film, and stunning visual and sound effects, woven with stories from survivors and people who have studied the fire, to tell the story. Location of the hartford circus fire, july 6, 1944. Discover hartford circus fire memorial in hartford, connecticut. At least 167 people were killed, and over 700 were injured. A carelessly tossed cigarette butt ignited a canvas partition screening the mens toilet.
Hartford circus fire memorial hartford, connecticut. Hartford circus fire is part of wikiproject fire service, which collaborates on fire servicerelated subjects on wikipedia. Memorial to one of the most fatal fires in both circus and u. According to stewart onans book the circus fire, circuses have always had a history of horrific fires. Jul 06, 2019 little miss 1565 and others remembered in hartford circus fire memorial. Hartford circus fire disasters of the century youtube.
The ringling circus fire of july 6, 1944 in hartford was a devastating tragedy, but far too few american citizensfar too few people around the worldhave been properly informed about a disaster of such emotional magnitude, a catastrophe that claimed 168 lives. On july 6, 1944, the big top suddenly caught fire at a ringling bros. A true story of an american tragedy puts him in his dressing room, drinking a beer, preparing to inhabit weary willie. Heres the story of one of the worst tragedies in american history, the socalled hartford circus fire. This relatively benignlooking field in hartford, connecticut, shaded by trees and a modern school, is the site of a horrific event that occurred 69 years ago today. To this day, no one is really quite sure about how or where the fire started.
After all, the hartford circus fire is the worst disaster in hartford history and one of the worst fires in the history of the us. Weinstein collection, 19441945 hartford circus fire e. Hartford circus fire book trailer final edit on vimeo. Apr 24, 2017 the fire occurred during an afternoon performance of the ringling bros. Agonizing hourbyhour retelling of the worst american circus disaster and its aftermath, seen with a restless, unflinching eye for the detailstouching, ironic, and depraved. Sep 18, 2011 but although the circus had some twenty 2 12 and 3gallon fire extinguishers and about 30 smaller ones, most were still stowed in the circus train cars none had been distributed to strategic. The story of a photograph from the 1944 hartford circus fire. The circus was unusually behind schedule, so much that two of the daytime performances had to be canceled. There are two elements saving this book from total mediocrity and appearing to be an extended book report on the hartford circus fire. It was a midsummer afternoon, halfway through a ringling brothers barnum and bailey circus performance, when the big top caught fire. The worst disaster in hartford history occurred on july 6, 1944, during a performance of the ringling bros. The fire occurred during an afternoon performance of the ringling bros. The tent had been waterproofed with a mixture of wax and gasoline.
Three times as many children died in hartford in 1944 than died in oklahoma city. The inferno killed 169 people, mostly women and children, and injured more than 550 others. But although the circus had some twenty 2 12 and 3gallon fire extinguishers and about 30 smaller ones, most were still stowed in the circus train cars. Jul 06, 2018 the hartford circus fire, which occurred on july 6, 1944, in hartford, connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the united states. The acclaimed author of a prayer for the dying brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of tragedy and heroismthe great hartford circus fire of 1944. The circus fire examines the tragedy and seeks to solve the many mysteries it triggered. As bollier claims, the book is about wanting to do the right thing, and that makes sense in any language. They describe how, with little guidance from existing case law and many quarrels and uncertainties, three enterprising lawyers secured a courtsupervised receivership that kept the circus in business, enabling it to. Cohn and david bollier tell the story of this catastrophic circus fire and its remarkable legal aftermath. A true story of an american tragedy is written and narrated to shock. Records from the time period show that it was a miserably hot. The hartford circus fire, which occurred on july 6, 1944, in hartford, connecticut, was one of. Jul 06, 20 that the hartford circus fire may be the worst humancaused disaster ever to have taken place in connecticut. The fire killed 167 people and more than 700 were injured.
The true story of an american tragedy by stewart onan on july 6, 1944 in hartford, connecticut a fire would rage out of control at the circus taking place, killing over a hundred children and adults and injuring many, many more. The hartford circus fire by michael skidgell overdrive. By the time firefighters put out the flames, nearly 170 people lay dead. With several thousand people gathered under the big top, flames appeared on the tent and spread quickly, inadvertantly aided by the mixture of gasoline and. Jan 26, 2016 the hartford circus fire occurred on july 6, 1944. Hartford circus fire archival records hartford circus fire. Hartford, ct ringling brothers and barnum and bailey.
Michael skidgell author michael skidgell, a lifelong connecticut resident, is a project manager and an engineering manager at steeltech building products. Books about the hartford circus fire, and other books that mention the fire. The hartford circus fire occured july 6, 1944 in hartford, connecticut, during an afternoon performance of ringling bros. If you cant visit the state library in person, you. Remembering the horror and heroes of a circus fire. In 1799, during ricketts equestrian circus, the philadelphia amphitheater burned down though no one was killed. With a single careless act, an afternoon at the greatest show on earth quickly became one of terror and tragedy as the paraffincoated circus tent caught fire. Hartford circus fire memorial hartford, connecticut atlas. Book advertisement the hartford circus fire july 6, 1944. He started researching the fire shortly after moving to hartford.
Author mike skidgell quoted in a hartford courant article by aneri pattani promoting the 70th anniversary of the hartford circus fire. He has served in the construction company as a draftsman, engineer, estimator, coordinator and project manager for thirty years. See more ideas about fire, big top and ringling brothers. The great hartford circus fire is a compelling work and a readable one as well, written with sensitivity toward the nonlawyer who might not be comfortable with the language of the law. It transpired that the us army had vetoed the circuss request for. Little miss 1565 and others remembered in hartford circus fire memorial. Hartford circus fire the hartford circus fire, which occurred on july 6, 1944, in hartford, connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the united states. Books about the hartford circus fire hartford circus fire. The hartford circus fire, which occurred on july 6, 1944, in hartford, connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the united states. The fire was the size of a baseball, a football, a basketball, a dishpan, a briefcase, a small window, half a tablecloth.
We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Books about the hartford circus fire hartford circus. A matter of degree is a true story and the definitive account of a renowned fire investigator and the nineyear mission of the heart that led to the discovery of arson and political conspiracy in the 1944 ringling circus fire, an american tragedy equal in scope to the 1995 oklahoma city bombing. Usa today it was a midsummer afternoon, halfway through a ringling brothers barnum and bailey circus performance, when the big top caught fire. The fire was the size of a baseball, a football, a basketball, a dishpan, a briefcase, a small window, half a. A carelessly tossed cigarette butt ignited a canvas partition screening. For additional materials, check our online catalog. If you cant visit the state library in person, you may be able to borrow a copy through interlibrary loan. Hartford fire department 253 high street hartford, ct 06103 8607574500 main 8607228205 fax. The hartford circus fire the worst disaster in hartford history occurred on july 6, 1944, during a performance of the ringling bros.
The acclaimed author of emily, alone and henry, himself brings all his narrative gifts to bear on this gripping account of tragedy and heroismthe great hartford. Skidgell started his research on the hartford circus fire in 2001, and has been pursuing the subject ever since. Jul 06, 2007 remembering the horror and heroes of a circus fire maureen krekian was 11 when a fire ripped through the circus she was attending in hartford, conn. Hartford circus fire memorial barbour street behind wish school, hartford. In the foreword to this book, stewart onan opens with i did not want to write this book. B this article has been rated as bclass on the projects quality scale. Mar 20, 2020 the hartford circus fire occured july 6, 1944 in hartford, connecticut, during an afternoon performance of ringling bros. The circus fire, which has been a source of controversy for more than 60 years, occurred in hartford on the afternoon of july 6, 1944.
While other books go much further in depth, this 141 page. The hartford circus fire, which occurred on july 6, 1944, in hartford, connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in united states history. Hartford, ct ringling brothers and barnum and bailey circus. Hartford and the surrounding communities reeled in the aftermath as investigators searched for the source of the fire and the responsible parties. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project andor contribute to the discussion. The building code required 22inch units of exit space for every 100 people, but the tent had only 43 units when 91 units were. Jun 30, 2017 hartford had won a fire safety award only weeks before this fire. Ap a while grief among parents, relatives and friends grew hourly deeper, officials placed the list of dead at 146 today as they counted and recounted the victims of the greatest fire in circus history which yesterday turned the big top ringling brothers circus into a flaming. Hartford circus fire major american fires libguides at.