Facts and Figures

Facts and Figures about the circus fire

A floor plan of the big top the day of the fire, from Volunteer Firemen magazine, August 1944.

No regulations prevented tents from being waterproofed with parafin and gasoline, as the Big Top at Hartford had been. (Coronet Magazine, September 1950, page 123)

The previous day's performance, which would have been the first in Hartford that year, had been cancelled because the circus tent was six hours late coming in from Providence, RI.

The canvas tent was 550 feet long and 250 feet wide, supported by six poles to a maximum of 75 feet. The canvas weighed 19 tons. Seating capacity was 12,000.

Merle Evans, the bandleader, saw the fire and signalled the band to play Stars and Stripes Forever, which was code to the circus employees that there was an emergency.

Flags on the State Capitol flew at half-staff on 7-7-1944 in a sorrowful fluttering tribute to the circus dead on order of Gov. Raymond E. Baldwin. (Manchester Evening Herald, 7/7/44)

The circus had been scheduled to visit Rochester, NY on July 19 and 20 at the Norman Street grounds, but would instead return to winter quarters at Sarasota, FL for repairs.

Nearly one-third of the victims were identified by dental charts. Marks from operations were also helpful, as two women were identified by their scars from Caesarian operations. Another victim was identified from a bad shoulder injury of several years prior. Jewelry was helpful, particularly in the case of wedding rings which bore initials. Clothing and shoes were recognized in a few cases.

Chart of Deaths by Place and Date, on file at Connecticut State Library, State Archives:

DEATHS BY PLACE AND DATE

'

DIED AT CIRCUS GROUNDS

DIED AT MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL

DIED AT ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL

DIED AT HARTFORD HOSPITAL

July 6

125

16

-

-

July 7

-

9

1

-

July 8

-

2

-

-

July 9

-

2

-

1

July 10

-

2

-

-

July 11

-

2

-

-

July 12

-

1

-

1

July 16

-

-

1

-

July 24

-

1

-

-

July 25

-

1

-

-

July 26

-

1

-

-

August 3

-

-

-

1

August 17

-

-

1

-

Totals

125

37

3

3

'

168

'

'

'

Chart of Casualties by Major Injury, on file at Connecticut State Library, State Archives:

CASUALTIES BY MAJOR INJURY RESULTING

FROM THE CIRCUS FIRE OF JULY 6, 1944, HARTFORD

S U M M A R Y

Major Injury

Total Number of Persons

Percent

Hospitalized Patients

Non-Hospitalized Injured Survivors

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

All Casualties

652

100.0

183

100.0

344

100.0

Percent burned*

-

66.0

-

82.0

155

45.1

Percent with other injuries

-

34.0

-

18.0

189

54.9

Burned*

430

100.0

150

100.0

155

'

Deaths from burns

168

39.1

43

28.7

(125)**

'

Survivors, burned

262

60.9

107

71.3

155

'

1^o, 2^o, 3^o, & 4^o

1

'

1

'

-

'

1^o, 2^o, & 3^o

55

'

51

'

4

'

1^o, & 2^o

112

'

47

'

65

'

1^o

23

'

3

'

20

'

Degree not stated

35

'

5

'

30

'

Inhalation of smoke

1

'

-

'

1

'

Friction burns

35

'

-

'

35

'

Survivors With Other Injuries

222

'

33

'

189

'

Fractures

31

'

20

'

11

'

Sprains & strains

62

'

7

'

55

'

Multiple contusions

85

'

2

'

83

'

"Injuries"

21

'

1

'

20

'

Emotional upset only

10

'

1

'

9

'

Abortions

2

'

2

'

-

'

No information

11

'

-

'

11

'

'

* Many of those included in the "burned" classification also suffered other injuries. However, if any burn was mnetioned, the case was placed in the "burned" classification. It is realized that some of those severely injured may also have had slight burns which were not mentioned by the reporting physician.

'

** Non-hospitalized fatalities at the circus grounds.

Chart of Hospitalized Patients by Residence, on file at Connecticut State Library, State Archives:

HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS BY RESIDENCE

FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED AT THE CIRCUS FIRE, JULY 6, 1944, HARTFORD

ALL HOSPITALS

TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS

PATIENTS' RESIDENCE

HARTFORD

CONNECTICUT

OUT OF STATE

183

63

114

6

Hospitals in Hartford

170

63

102

5

Municipal Hospital

56

16

40

-

Hartford Hospital

65

25

37

3

St. Francis Hospital

45

20

23

2

Mt. Sinai Hospital

4

2

2

-

Conn. Hospitals

12

-

12

-

Meriden Hospital

1

-

1

-

New Britain Hospital

3

-

3

-

Bristol Hospital

2

-

2

-

Bradley Field Hospital

2

-

2

-

Newington V.A.F. Hospital

1

-

1

-

Middlesex Hospital, Middletown

2

-

2

-

Litchfield Hospital

(1)*

-

(1)*

-

Sharon Hospital

1

-

1

-

Out-of-State Hospitals

1

-

-

1

Holyoke, Massachusetts

1

-

-

1

*The patient who was hospitalized in Litchfield County Hospital was hospitalized first (July 6-7) in the Municipal Hosptial, Hartford.

11-18-44

Chart of Deaths, Resident and Non-Resident, By Age, Sex and Race, on file at Connecticut State Library, State Archives:

DEATHS, RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT, BY AGE, SEX

and RACE, RESULTING FROM THE CIRCUS FIRE WHICH

Occurred in Hartford in July 6, 1944

Total

Under 5 Yrs.

5-9 Years

10-14 Years

15-19 Years

20-24 Years

25-29 Years

30-34 Years

35-39 Years

40-44 Years

45-49 Years

50-54 Years

55-59 Years

60-64 Years

65-69 Years

70-74 Years

75 Years and Over

Age Unknown

Male

Female

Municipal Hospital

Hartford Hospital

St. Francis Hospital

Circus Grounds

Resident

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-Males

-

5

5

2

-

-

1

-

-

1

1

1

-

-

-

1

1

-

18

-

5

-

-

13

-Females

-

5

5

3

-

2

3

3

4

4

1

1

-

3

1

1

1

-

-

37

7

-

-

30

--Total

55

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Non-Resident

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-Males

-

3

11

2

-

-

1

1

1

-

1

2

-

1

-

-

-

-

23

-

7

-

-

16

-Females

-

4

16

3

4

8

3

7

11

8

5

4

1

2

5

1

1

-

-

83

18

3

3

59

--Total

106

-

-

-

--

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

*Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-Males*

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

2

-

-

-

-

2

-Females*

-

-

2

-

-

-

-

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

4

-

-

-

4

-Age & Sex Unknown

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

1

--Total

7**

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

GRAND TOTAL

168**

17

39

11

4

10

8

13

16

13

8

8

1

7

6

3

3

1

43

124

37

3

3

125

* Age estimated

** Total is one more than sum of males and females because age and sex of one victim, who was crushed and torn to fragmentary remains, is not known.

Note: Of the out-of-state non-residents, 1 was from Massachusetts, 4 from New York, 1 from Pennsylvania, 1 from Rhode Island ---- Total 7

Chart of Circus Fire Casualties, Resident and Non-Resident, by Age and Sex:

CIRCUS FIRE CASUALTIES, RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT, BY AGE AND SEX

July 6, 1944 Hartford

'

Total

Male

Female

Under 5 Yrs.

5-9 Years

10-14 Years

15-19 Years

20-24 Years

25-29 Years

30-34 Years

35-39 Years

40-44 Years

45-49 Years

50-54 Years

55-59 Years

60-64 Years

65-69 Years

70-74 Years

75 Years and Over

Age Unknown

All Casualties

652*

205

446

39

105

41

14

27

54

61

75

50

26

28

18

25

20

12

6

52

Total Deaths^x

168*

43

124

17

39

11

4

10

8

13

16

13

8

8

1

7

6

3

3

1

Total Injured Survivors

484

162

322

22

65

30

10

17

46

48

59

37

18

20

17

18

14

9

3

-

Hospitalized Survivors

140

43

97

11

29

8

5

6

9

14

17

8

4

5

6

7

5

4

2

-

Residents

50

-

-

3

10

-

1

5

3

6

12

1

1

2

2

-

3

1

-

-

Males

-

13

-

2

4

-

-

-

1

2

-

1

1

-

-

-

1

1

-

-

Females

-

-

37

1

6

-

1

5

2

4

12

-

-

2

2

-

2

-

-

-

Non-residents

90

-

-

8

19

8

4

1

6

8

5

7

3

3

4

7

2

3

2

-

Males

-

30

-

5

9

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

-

3

-

1

1

-

Females

-

-

60

3

10

5

3

-

5

7

4

6

2

2

4

4

2

2

1

-

Non-Hospitalized Injured Survivors

344

119

225

11

36

22

5

11

37

34

42

29

14

15

11

11

9

5

1

51

Residents

120

-

-

5

10

9

4

6

15

14

13

12

5

6

5

2

4

1

-

9

Males

-

38

-

3

5

6

1

1

1

3

4

3

1

4

1

-

2

-

-

3

Females

-

-

82

2

5

3

3

5

14

11

9

9

4

2

4

2

2

1

-

6

Non-resident

221

-

-

6

26

13

1

5

22

20

29

17

9

9

6

9

5

4

1

39

Males

-

79

-

6

18

3

-

-

4

5

11

7

2

3

2

5

2

2

1

8

Females

-

-

142

-

8

10

1

5

18

15

18

10

7

6

4

4

3

2

-

31

Residence not known

3

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

3

Males

-

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

Females

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

1

* Total is one more than sum of males and females because of fragmentary remains counted as 1 death.

^x For distribution of deaths by sex and residence see separate table of deaths