Survivor List
(last names beginning with "K)

Nearly 7,000 circus fans attended the afternoon show on July 6, 1944, and many were fortunate enough to survive the blaze. Here are the names of some of the survivors, and also the names of those who helped or are otherwise associated with the Hartford Circus Fire, though they may not have been in attendance during the tragic performance.

Names are sorted by "last name first"; in cases of women who got married after the circus fire, their name in 1944 is used when known. The search function at the top of the each page can also be used to search the entire website for a name or term.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L -M - N - O
P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Kabrick, boy#1 (child); Vernon/Rockville area
  • Went to circus with his brother, neighbors Mary and Beverly Darico, and Clara Lutton. All survived.CFR 
Kabrick, boy#2 (child); Vernon/Rockville area
  • Went to circus with his brother, neighbors Mary and Beverly Darico, and Clara Lutton. All survived.CFR 
Kaminski, Al (child)
  • Attended circus with his mother Helen Kaminski and his cousin John "Jack" Tomasi.  
Kaminski, Helen (adult)
  • Attended circus with her son Al Kaminski and her nephew John "Jack" Tomasi.  
Kanter, Mrs. Rose (55); 150 Westland St, Hartford
  • Mrs. Rose Kanter, a real estate agent, escaped from the circus fire, though she suffered contusions and abrasions on her legs and body, nervous shock, sleeplessness, and nervous stomach.  She was awarded $1,750 by the arbitration board for her injuries.  
Karp, Charles; 35 Chatham St, Hartford
  • Was awarded $650 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kasmarzyk, Kay (7)
  • Attended the circus with her brother, her aunt, and a few cousins. 
Kasmarzyk, Robert (5)
  • Attended the circus with his sister, his aunt, and a few cousins.  He was rescued by a sailor. 
Kasper, Pvt. George (adult), Atlanta, GA
  • Attended circus with other soldiers from a nearby rest camp.
Kastner, Edmund F. "Bud" (10); 100 Central Ave, East Hartford
  • Attended the circus with his brother Joe and their father, Joseph.  They sat near the top of the bleachers, and all of them escaped without injury.   
  • Edmund Forrest "Bud" Kastner, Sr., 81, entered his new life on June 1, 2016 at Marion Hospital in Santa Maria, California. [obituary / back-up link]
Kastner, Joseph C. "Joe"  (10); 100 Central Ave, East Hartford
  • Attended the circus with his brother Edmund and their father, Joseph, and they sat near the top of the bleachers.  Joe remembers seeing the animals in the ring when the fire broke out.  Mr. Kastner saw the peeople in a state of panic below them, so he pushed his sons over the top of the sidewall of the bigtop.  Before the boys slid down the canvas, their father told them "When you get to the bottom, don't look back.  Just run!".  Mr. Kastner followed his sons, and all of them escaped without injury.
Kastner, Mr. Joseph C.  (38); 100 Central Ave, East Hartford
  • Attended the circus with his sons, Joseph and Edmund, and all escaped without injury.
Keeley, Arthur E. (47); Columbus Ave, Dover, NH
  • Mr. Arthur Keeley, a farm manager, escaped the circus fire with his wife, Mary.  He was awarded $700 by the arbitration board for his injuries, including bruises to his chest, a fractured rib, shock, and various bruises and contusions.
Keeley, Mary C.  (50); Columbus Ave, Dover, NH
  • Mrs Mary Keeley, a nurse, escaped the circus fire with her husband, Arthur.  She was awarded $700 by the arbitration board for her injuries, including a bruised shin, cuts and bruises on her leg, and shock.
Picture
Brick at the Hartford Circus Fire Memorial mentioning the Keller family.
Keller, Robert (7)
  • Robert attended the circus with his mother, Carolyn Keller; his aunt Marion Keller, his brother Anthony and his cousin Peter Keller.  Robert heard the screams of "fire" and saw a burning canvas wall to his left.  His mother grabbed him and dragged him out over the fallen chairs.  His brother was carried out, possibly by a circus employee. 
  • The Keller family is mentioned on a memorial brick.
Kelliher, girl#1 (child), Hartford
  • The Kelliher girls went to the circus with Marion and William Dineen. William died, the others survived.CFM 
Kelliher, girl#2 (child); Hartford
  • The Kelliher girls went to the circus with Marion and William Dineen. William died, the others survived.CFM 
Kendall, John B.; Hotel Garde, 336 Asylum St, Hartford
  • Was awarded $1,000 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kenny, Alfred (11); Burnham St, Hartford
  • Went to the circus with his siblings Daniel and Arlita. As Alfred recalls, "we didn't have a lot of money, and we could buy expensive seats and no candy, or cheap seats and get some candy."  They got the candy and that's partly why they all survived.
  • Alfred James Kenny, 88, passed away Aug. 9, 2021 of natural causes. LINK to obituary / Back-up Link
Kenny, Arlita (child); Burnham St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with her brothers Alfred and Daniel; all of them survived. 
Kenny, Eugene J. (adult); Burnham St, Hartford
  • Hartford firefighter with Engine Co. 16. His children Alfred, Daniel and Arlita Kenny went to the circus while their father was at work, stationed at the Blue Hills fire house.  When Mr. Kenny responded to the circus grounds after the fire, he knew his children were at the circus and with every little body he turned over he expected to see one of his own. 
Kenny, Daniel (child); Burnham St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with his siblings Alfred and Arlita; all of them survived. 
Kershaw, Thomas 
  • "Three Hartford detectives, Paul Beckwith, Thomas Barber and Thomas Kershaw, who were near the main entrance, removed ropes used to guide spectators to the reserved seats section and saved scores of people."THC 
Kessler, Carol (7); 51 Glastonbury Ave, Rocky Hill
  • Went to the circus with her brother Stowell Kessler and their mother Helen Kessler, and Helen W. Fyler and her son David Fyler. The group sat in the southwest bleachers, and exited out the main entrance without any injuries. 
Kessler, Mrs. Helen (adult); 51 Glastonbury Ave, Rocky Hill
  • Went to the circus with her children Stowell and Carol Kessler, and Helen W. Fyler and her son David Fyler. The group sat in the southwest bleachers, and exited out the main entrance without any injuries. 
Kessler, Stowell (9); 51 Glastonbury Ave, Rocky Hill
  • Went to the circus with his sister Carol Kessler and their mother Helen Kessler, and Helen W. Fyler and her son David Fyler. The group sat in the southwest bleachers, and exited out the main entrance without any injuries. 
Kidney, Mrs. Rose A.; 63 Huber Manor, Middletown
  • aka Mrs. P.M. Kidney.  On the Injured List at Municipal Hospital, 7/7/44.THC 
  • Was awarded $12,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kietzien, Mrs. Katherine Damon; 96 Steele Rd, West Hartford
  • Awarded $11,700 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kietzien, Miss Phyllis; 96 Steele Rd, West Hartford
  • Awarded $3,000 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Killer, Stanley (17); 2679 Main St, Hartford
  • On the "Missing List", Friday, 7/7/44.THC 
Killiany, Mrs. Ellen; Haberern Avenue, Unionville
  • Awarded $2,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
King, Chief John O.
  • Chief of Hartford Fire Department at time of the fire.
Kirby, Jean (early 20's); south end of Hartford
  • Went to circus with her brother William, and her friend and her friend's daughter. William and Jean survived, not sure about the others.CFR 

Kirby, Mrs.
  • Attended circus with her daughter, Mrs. Sumner Johnson, and her two grandchildren.
Kirby, William (8); south end of Hartford
  • Went to circus with his oldest sister Jean and Jean's friend and her daughter. William and Jean survived, not sure about the others.CFR 
Klett, Fred (adult)
  • Worked with Civil Defense to pull bodies from the scene.  Fred's brother Harold Klett attended the circus with his children and survived.  
Klett, Harold F. (36); Newington
  • Attended the circus with his children, Mary (7) and John (5), and the children's grandfather.  They all escaped out of the elephant entrance, and made their way home.  
  • Read Mary Klett's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 9
Klett, John (5); Newington
  • Attended the circus with his sister, Mary (7), their father Harold Klett, and the children's grandfather.  They all escaped out of the elephant entrance, and made their way home.  
  • Read Mary Klett's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 9
Klett, Mary (7); Newington
  • Attended the circus with her brother, John (5), their father Harold Klett, and the children's grandfather.  They all escaped out of the elephant entrance, and made their way home.  
  • Read Mary Klett's story here: Personal Accounts - Page 9
Kletzen, Katherine; West Hartford
  • Listed as injured.SDN
Kletzen, Phyllis; West Hartford
  • Listed as injured.SDN
Kober, Shirley (4) 
  • Listed as injured.SDN
Kokoska, Gladys (Bargalski) (55); 43 Warren St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with her grandson Eugene Roy. When she saw the circus tent on fire, she grabbed the boy and rushed for the exit, then fell down in the crowd and was trampled upon.  Her foot felt like it was stuck and while she was pinned down she heard the high pitched roar of the wind blowing the flames across the canvas roof.  Gladys managed to break free and fled to another exit with her screaming grandson.  As she walked about the circus grounds in a daze, she noticed her skin blistering and falling off.  She asked for help and was brought to Hartford Hospital where she received treatment and remained for 30 days.  She was awarded $4,600 for injuries received in the fire, including first and second degree burns on both arms and shoulders, back and front; multiple bruises and contusions about her entire body, and shock to her nervous system.  12% of her body surface was burned. 
  • While Gladys Kokoska survived the circus fire in 1944, she was a patient at Hartford Hospital again 17 years later, suffering from a brain tumor, when a fire blew through the 9th floor on December 8th, 1961.  Gladys died the next day from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.  (Link to obituary)(Link to Hartford Courant story about Gladys and the hospital fire)
Kolb, Barbara (5); Beacon St, Hartford
  • Attended the circus with neighbor Mrs. Joyce Acquaviva and her daughter Charlotte (4).  They sat on the opposite side from where the fire started; they saw the first flames in the far right corner from where they were seated.  Mrs. Acquaviva fell down on their way out, and Charlotte stayed with her while Barbara crawled between people's legs and escaped on her own.  The Acquaviva's, separated from Barbara, would also escape.  
  • Barbara's story can be read here: Personal Accounts - Page 9.  
Kopp, Eugene J. (64); Hotel Bond (and/or 437 West School Lane, Philadelphia, PA)
  • Still remained at St. Francis Hospital Monday, July 11.THC 
  • Was awarded $40,000 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kotler, Alvin (12); Vine St, North End of Hartford
  • Alvin's friend Maurice Stempnitsky invited him to the circus, Maurice's father had been given free passes in exchange for displaying a circus advertisement sign at his package store on Park Street.  The boys sat at the top of the bleachers on the side where the animal runways were located.  When they saw the fire, they jumped from the top of the bleachers and went out through the space between the animal runway and the tent sidewall.  Alvin ran home and told his mom he was safe, although he had injured his knee when he jumped.  Alvin's father's boss's wife and two children died.CFM  
Kott, (illegible first name) (64); 437 West School Lane, Philadelphia, PA
  • On the Injured List at Municipal Hospital, 7/7/44.THC 
Kott, Mrs. E.J.; 437 West School Lane, Philadelphia, PA
  • On the Injured List at Municipal Hospital, 7/7/44.THC 
Krein, Jack
  • Took his son Douglas to the circus, wife Rose didn't want to go.  While escaping from the burning big-top, Jack grabbed a knife from a boy trying to cut the canvas and he cut a slit in the wall.  Jack carried his son and an elderly woman through the hole he had cut.  A friend of Rose's from the bridge club and her daughter died in the fire.CFM 
Krutt, Alan (12); Holcomb St, Hartford
  • Went to the circus with his older brother Bernard, both escaped alive without injuries.CFR 
Krutt, Bernard (18); Holcomb St, Hartford
  • Bernard took his younger brother to the circus, both escaped alive without injuries. Bernard left for US Navy basic training the day after the fire.CFR 
  • Bernard Krutt, age 97, died peacefully after a short illness on August 14th, 2023. [link to obituary /  back-up link]
PictureGeorgianna, Barry, Dorothy and Roberta Kuhnly.
Kuhnly, Barry (5); 28 White St., Rockville
Kuhnly, Roberta (9); 28 White St., Rockville
  • Barry and Roberta attended the circus with their mother, Dorothy, and sister Georgianna, who both died from their injuries; Roberta and Barry survived.CFR 
  • Circus fire survivor Betty Lou Wormstedt also was in the group with the Kuhnly's.TWT
  • Roberta was born 3/10/1935 in Rockville, lived in Rockville until after the fire when she lived with her grandparents in Granby.  
  • Roberta C. Kuhnly, 80, died November 8, 2015. (obituary)
  • Roberta and Barry sat in the front row and the others sat behind them.  The fire started behind them, and they were all separated and pushed by the crowd across the tent until they were pressed up against the animal runway.  Roberta climbed over, and a soldier helped Barry over and into Roberta's arms and they escaped together. Betty Lou escaped too, and found Roberta and Barry and the three waited by a tree for Dorothy and Georgianna,  Eventually they went to the police station and got a ride home from a neighbor.  It is believed that either Dorothy or Georgianna fell while exiting the burning tent, and when the other stopped to help they were both overcome by the crowd. 
Kula, Henry
  • Survived the fire. 
Kurneta, Anthony (4); Middletown
  • Attended the circus with his father, Stanley Kurneta; his cousin Raymond Erickson, Jr.; his aunts Elizabeth and Mary Kurneta; and his grandmother Mrs. Frances Kurneta.  Anthony, Elizabeth and Frances were led out of the burning tent by Stanley; Mary was found dead at the circus grounds and Raymond was presumed to have died although his body was never found despite his uncle having brought the boy to the hospital in bad shape, though alive.  Read more from Anthony Kurneta here: Personal Accounts - Page 7.
Kurneta, Elizabeth (10); Middletown
  • Was awarded $500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kurneta, Mrs. Frances; 101 Hotchkiss St, Middletown
  • Was awarded $2,500 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kurneta, Stanley P. (27); 15 Pease Ave, Middletown 
  • Attended the circus with his mother, Mrs. Frances (Platek) Kurneta, his sisters Elizabeth and Mary Kurneta, his son Anthony Kurneta and his nephew Raymond Erickson, Jr.  The group sat in reserved section 'S' to the left of the main entrance, four rows from the top, and across from the center ring.  When Stanley noticed the fire to the right of the main entrance, they all hurried toward the main entrance.  Stanley pushed Frances and Elizabeth over the animal chute, but lost Mary and Raymond in the crowd.  Stanley later found Raymond, seriously burned and in wet clothing, and rode with the boy in an Army truck to Municipal Hospital where he is presumed to have died although his body was never found.  Mary was found dead at the circus grounds.  Stanley was hospitalized for his injuries. 
  • On the Injured List at Hartford Hospital, 7/7/44.THC 
  • On the Injured List at Hartford Hospital, 7/10/44.THC 
  • Was awarded $3,300 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC 
Kwash, Robert R. (minor); 14 Elm Terrace, Manchester
  • Robert R. Kwash of Manchester was awarded $1,800 by the arbitration board for injuries received in the fire.THC

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L -M - N - O
P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Sources:

TWT: The White Tops magazine
WCF: Women and Children First by Donald H. Roy
CFR: Circus Fire Reminiscences (Manchester Public Library)
CFM: Circus Fire Memories
​MEH: Manchester Evening Herald
TCF: The Circus Fire by Stewart O'Nan
UPI: United Press International
SDN: Springfield Daily News
JOWBR: JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry
THC: The Hartford Courant