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The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in U.S. history and marked a significant turning point in labor regulations.
Context and Factory Conditions
The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was located on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the Asch Building (now known as the Brown Building) in the Greenwich Village area of Manhattan, New York City. It was a large manufacturer of women's shirtwaists (blouses). The company was owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, who were known as the "Shirtwaist Kings."
The factory workers were mostly young, immigrant women from Italy and Eastern Europe. They worked six days a week, often up to 14 hours a day, in extremely crowded conditions. Pay was very low, and the working environment was harsh.
In terms of safety, conditions at the factory were abysmal. Fire safety measures were virtually non-existent. There were no fire drills, and the factory's owners reportedly locked the doors to the stairwells and exits – a common practice at the time to prevent unauthorized breaks and theft.
The Fire
The fire began on the afternoon of March 25, 1911. It is believed to have started in a scrap bin, possibly caused by a discarded cigarette or match, although the exact cause was never determined. The bin held two months' worth of fabric scraps, which provided ample fuel for the fire.
The flames spread quickly, consuming the flammable shirtwaists and other materials throughout the factory. Workers tried to extinguish the fire with buckets of water, but the factory had no sprinkler system, and the flames quickly got out of control.
As workers tried to escape, they found that the doors to the stairwells and exits were locked. The only fire escape, a flimsy and poorly-constructed iron structure, collapsed under the weight of the many workers trying to escape.
Many workers rushed to the windows, but the fire department's ladders were too short to reach the upper floors of the ten-story building. Some workers jumped from the windows to their deaths, a sight that horrified onlookers.
Aftermath and Trial
The fire resulted in the deaths of 146 garment workers, most of them young women. The factory's owners, Blanck and Harris, were charged with manslaughter. Their trial began in December 1911, and they were defended by prominent lawyer Max Steuer. Despite witness testimonies, they were acquitted in 1914. Later, in a civil suit, they were ordered to pay $75 per deceased victim.
Impact on Labor Laws
The public outrage over the fire and the treatment of the factory workers led to numerous changes in labor laws and the creation of regulatory bodies to enforce them. New York State established the Factory Investigating Commission to examine working conditions in factories and propose new laws.
Reforms that followed the tragedy included laws requiring better building access and egress, fireproofing requirements, the availability of fire extinguishers, and the installation of alarm systems and automatic sprinklers. Laws were also passed to limit the numbers of workers per floor, and regulations were put in place for the storage and disposal of flammable waste materials.
The tragedy also galvanized the labor movement. Union membership swelled, and the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union became a powerful force advocating for the rights of workers in the garment industry.
Today, the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is marked by a plaque and is remembered as one of the events that spurred significant improvements in workplace safety and labor rights in the United States.