July 6, 1944: When the Tent Came Down

Before television and the internet, the circus coming to town was one of the biggest live events a community would see all year.On July 6, 1944, roughly seven thousand people packed into the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus big top in Hartford, Connecticut for an afternoon matinee. A small flame near the sidewall spread through the waterproofed canvas in minutes, and the fire killed 167 people and injured more than 700. The disaster is listed by the U.S. Fire Administration alongside the Iroquois Theater fire and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire as one of the events that directly changed American fire code, permanently reshaping how governments regulate temporary public structures.From bsnsHistory, the daily podcast about the moments when business quietly reshaped the world.Written and hosted by Ron Trucks. Research and editing by Rodney Russ. Sound design by Angela Cahoy. Music by Cody Martin and Soundstripe.For more daily business stories, visit www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com