tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853805336568551814.post6048702934123842984..comments2024-03-16T16:21:55.763-05:00Comments on The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": The Hartford Fire 1944Casey McCoy Cainanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14611037918797096687noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853805336568551814.post-70568946589263756282012-10-23T16:02:29.667-05:002012-10-23T16:02:29.667-05:00James Haley and other members of the Ringling / Ba...James Haley and other members of the Ringling / Barnum staff were indeed tried and imprisioned. Thy were "Ultimately" responsible for the safety of their patrons.<br /><br />Did they start the fire or cause the fire? NO! They were the scapegoats of the times. WWII was in full swing. Absolutely no one was permitted to have fire proof matter except the military. If I remember corretly, the tents were water proofed with a paraffin mixture. Understandably, once a candle gets lit it will continue to burn.<br /><br />No pre-inspection was conducted by the City of Hartsford and the Hartsford Fire Dept. was supposed to be on the grounds, but wasn't. The Circus water trucks were supposed to be near the tent and running. This point hasn't been agreed upon whether they were ready or were not.<br /><br />I'll have to do some digging myself as the fire is covered in several circus books. There are also a few books still available about the fire itself such as Stewart O'Nan's "The Circus Fire", Don Massey and Rick Davey's "A Matter of Degree: the Hartford Fire & the Mystery of Little Miss 1565" or "Women and Children First" by Donald H. Roy. <br /><br />BobBob Clinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06322660031390871141noreply@blogger.com