On July 6, 1944, 168+ people (at least 100 of whom were children) died and over 700 were injured when the big top caught fire in Hartford, Connecticut. It was later discovered that Ringling Brothers used paraffin wax and gasoline to waterproof their big top, turning the tent into a gigantic death trap. The proximate cause of the fire is still debated, though investigators at the time suspected a lit cigarette led to the blaze. A known pyromaniac claimed to have caused the fire, but later recanted, and no firm evidence of his involvement exists.

https://www.circusfire1944.com