Personal Accounts ~ page 8
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 ...jump, right NOW, or he would leave her!

I grew up with the tale of my parents and sister who attended that circus that day. My parents were Charles and Pauline (Sirianni) Dustin, my sister Charlotte was only 3 at the time. From what they told me, they were sitting somewhat high in the bleachers, when my mother pointed out to my dad the fire near the roof of the tent. She thought it was part of the act, and said something like "ooooh, look at that!"  My father immediately knew they were in mortal danger, and grabbed my sister and jumped from the bleachers to the ground. He looked at my mom and told her she had to jump, right NOW, or he would leave her! My mom was 6 months pregnant with my brother and was hesitating, but did jump. They exited safely, but my mother remembered looking back and seeing the tent collapse, hearing the screams, seeing children wandering looking for parents, all of it burned in her brain. She definitely had PTSD from that, no one knew about that at the time, but all the survivors could have used some treatment for that. My sister says she remembers very little, and never felt endangered, but does remember my father threatening to leave my mother and that's what scared her the most! My parents lived either on Hudson St., Hartford at the time of the fire, or at 137 Douglas St., Hartford, because that's around the time that they moved.  

My mother had wanted to bring her 9 yr. old sister and 12 yr. old brother to the circus but my father refused, saying that he "didn't want to be responsible for so many that day". My mother's 15 yr. old sister was going to take them instead, but she ended up working later than expected and couldn't. I was told that once my grandmother knew her entire family was safe, she got on her knees on the kitchen floor, crying, and thanking God.

— Diane (Dustin) Lord​

...inhaled a lot of smoke and were disorientated...

My mother, Mary L. Evans, my sister Rebekah Gorham, my nephew Walter E. Gorham and I, Lawrence N. Evans were in the big top watching the acts. We had moved my mother down from the back row in the bleacher seats because she was a heavy person... She was more comfortable with the move. When the fire broke out we all became lost in the stampede. It took a while but we were able to meet up and were together after what seemed like an eternity. We had inhaled a lot of smoke and were disorientated in all the confusion. God is good.

— Lawrence N. Evans

…my legs got hot and I heard a roar…

I attended the circus with my two cousins, Tom Tierney and Gus Tierney, along with two friends Rosemary Collins and Brendan Preston.  I lived at 16 Spring St., in Hartford, and at the time I was 8 years old, just a month before my 9th birthday.  

On the the day of the circus I remember being very excited about attending the circus that afternoon.  Prior to entering the tent I can remember feeding peanuts to a camel and being the typical 8 year old, I was fascinated by the way he tickled my hand with his long tongue.  We also saw a gorilla in a cage who they said was "Gargantua".

When we entered the big top, my oldest cousin Gussy - who was kind of the boss being the oldest - decided that we were going to sit at the "far end" of the tent in the bleachers.  Just before the circus began, Gussy decided that we should move our seats back near the entrance to the tent so that we might get a little breeze being that it was such a hot day.  We sat again in the bleachers at that end and were watching the acrobats preparing for their act when everyone at the end of the tent just across from us began to scream and run.  In my 8 year old mind I though that this must be some part of the circus act, but then my legs got hot and I heard a roar behind me.  I turned to see a wall of flames roaring up the tent and I remember getting up and running.  When I got to the entrance ,Brendan caught up to me and told me to stay there until he got all the others together.  I waited there, and was surprised that not that many people were coming out.  It struck me as strange that more weren't coming out.  Then I thought I heard the sound of poles falling and that scared me because I thought the whole place was falling down so I just ran through the yard.  I crossed Barbour Street and two ladies were standing there watching what was going on and took me under their wing.  After a while Gussy came along and all of us were united again.  Then we waited for the bus to take us home.

-- Jim McCarthy, Leesburg, FL

...found a child wandering in a daze...

My grandmother, Josephine Gregory lived near the area where the circus was. The day of the circus fire she found a child wandering in a daze in her backyard. She took care of the child for a few days. When the child was identified the parents came to my grandmother's home to get their child.  They we're so grateful that my grandmother took care of their child that they presented my grandmother with a mink coat.
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-- Barbara Schweitzer

...the human wave trying to run...

Our family was at the circus that memorable day. I was eight years old and was allowed to bring a friend. My sister was five. We were fortunate in that we sat near an exit. I remember clearly the voices of fear and the human wave trying to run, stumbling and pushing the backs of the person in front of them. I also remember the smell. My Dad held my sister and my friend and I held hands with my Mother.  Mother was a Registered Nurse and felt she could help. Our parents walked us out near a house. My friend was missing. They told us to stay together and they returned near the fire. 

My Dad went in search of my friend. I saw my Mother drag a small person out on a coat. It looked like a small child. Dad found my friend near the elephants safe but scared. These memories have come back to me on unexpected occasions. I suffer moderate claustrophobia that I relate to this event in my life. My sister and I reflect on this over the years.
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-- LeAnn (Dressler) Poesse

...we realized this was serious...

I was 14 and went to the circus with my mother Agnes and brother Peter, age 9. We were seated between the animal tunnels. The animal act had just finished and I noticed a fire across the tent and thought it was the beginning of the next act. As the fire increased and people started screaming we realized this was serious. My mother was smart enough to take us up the bleachers where we could slide down one the tent poles, thus saving us from harm. (I still have the ticket stubs and program.)

-- Bruce Wilder

...standing in line to use a neighbor's phone...

I was 14 years old and went to the circus with my friend Nancy W. We didn't know what was happening but everyone was leaving, actually rather calmly, and we followed through a nearby exit. I remember looking back as I followed everyone out and I saw flames across the tent. We were very lucky. I remember standing in line to use a neighbor's phone, and then taking the bus home - first the Hartford, and then on to Newington. We didn't know how devastating the fire was until later when the news came out. We were very very lucky. 

-- Louise Deccy

...wandered around with other frantic individuals...

I was 8 years old and the youngest of eight children. My father took four of us to the circus. We thankfully sat in the bleachers not far from the exit on the right hand side of the cages where the animals exited towards the left for the show. When I heard the cry "Fire", I looked to my left and watched the fire take hold. My sister grabbed my hand and I remember shaking my sister's hand loose as she tried to hold on to me. Praying all the way, I ran down the bleachers towards the exit and wandered around with other frantic individuals til two girls asked if I was with anyone. They in turn found a Police officer who was joined with another and they walked me to the police precinct where my father found me. (To the credit of my father, he dropped my sister and brother to the ground and shoved them under the tent to the outside and was told he also helped others to escape) This occurred over the span of 4 1/2 hours. I am told that members of my family went to the Armory seeking to see if I was a victim of the fire. That was where the victims were taken who did not survive. This memory is vivid in my mind as I look back on my life realizing that we are indeed guided by our Creator when we look to Him.

-- Shirley Ross

...emergency vehicles rushing around...

I was four and was there with my mother in the Big Top when the fire broke out. We both survived. I remember the crowd and seeing the emergency vehicles rushing around and the vivid images of the bodies lying next to each other covered on the ground. I have a friend nearby who was also there and we share memories. I remember we saw an Indian who could press his hand against a hot iron before we went into the Show. I'll never forget that day.
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-- Dr. Harold Hazen

...badly burned victims were placed inside the truck ...

For many years we did not know that my father, Anthony Francis Intino, was involved in the Hartford Circus Fire. He eventually spoke about it later in life. My father was born in Hartford on December 10, 1927 and died on October 30, 2009. On the day of the fire he was working for a company in Hartford called New Method Laundry driving a laundry truck. While on his regular delivery/pickup route he was stopped by a police officer and instructed to go to the circus grounds on Barbour Street. He wasn't aware of the fire and he followed the officer's instructions. Upon arrival at the circus grounds the back door of his truck was opened and badly burned victims were placed inside the truck on top of the fresh new linens. He was then instructed to take them to Hartford Hospital. He did so. He then drove back to the laundry with the now soiled linen. He was afraid that his boss would be mad and he would be fired. After telling his boss what had happened the dirty linen was removed from his truck, replaced with fresh clean linen and he was told by his boss to return to the circus grounds and continue to transport victims to the hospital as long as he is needed. He made more trips until all had been taken to the hospital. I am sure that for a 16 year old it was a very traumatic experience.

Ironically, years later, my father married my mother who lived at 15 Barbour Street, just down from where the fire occurred.
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-- Frank Intino