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The Hartford Circus Fire
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Dark HistoryApr 29, 2026

The Hartford Circus Fire

The Hartford Circus Fire On July 6, 1944, the Ringling Bros. tent went up in flames. It was a matinee. The crowd was full of children. The canvas had been waterproofed with paraffin and gasoline. It burned in minutes. 167 people died in Hartford that afternoon.

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