65th anniversary of circus fire

Hartford (WTNH) - Today marked the sad anniversary of the Hartford circus fire where more than 100 people were killed.

The "Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey" big top was set up on a field in the city's North End that day. The war was almost over, the Depression fading and thousands were out for a day of fun that turned into the greatest tragedy the state has ever known.

It was 2:43 p.m., 65-years ago today, that the first fire alarm came in for the circus fire.

Harry Lichtenbaum, of Wethersfield, was a 13-year-old boy at the circus with his older sister.

"Someone shouted 'fire!' We all looked at that direction and there was a little spot; I mean it seemed like the size of a quarter," said Lichtenbaum. "You would think they could put it out but it was up so high. I say it was not started by a cigarette, it just wasn't. I don't know how it started; it spread like crazy and within 10 minutes the tent was down."

And within ten minutes, 168 people were dead, 100 of them were children, mostly trampled. Nearly 500 were injured.

In those days, the tents were waterproofed with paraffin, a highly flammable substance; there was no way to stop it.

This afternoon, the Hartford Fire Department held a quick memorial service noting the indelible scar that was left on the city that day; circus people call it the 'day the clowns cried.'

For Lichtenbaum, and many others like him, the memory of that day will never leave.

"I think about it everyday to tell you the truth," he said. "I don't dwell on it but something happens that makes me think of it; someone lights a cigarette or something, I just remember it."

It took over 60-years to construct the memorial to the circus fire victims.

It's a quiet field behind the Wish Elementary School. Through modern technology and GPS it's located on the exact spot where the circus center ring was that day 65-years ago.