In a half an hour, the fire was over, and 146 of the 500 workers—mostly young women—were dead. Many of us have read about the tragic Triangle fire in school textbooks. But the fire alone wasn’t what made the shirtwaist makers such a focal point for worker safety. In fact, workplace deaths weren’t uncommon then.
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What was the outcome of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
In one of the darkest moments of America’s industrial history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City burns, killing 146 workers, on March 25, 1911. The tragedy led to the development of a series of laws and regulations that better protected the safety of factory workers.
What were some of the results of the Triangle Shirtwaist tragedy?
Forty-nine workers had burned to death or been suffocated by smoke, 36 were dead in the elevator shaft and 58 died from jumping to the sidewalks. With two more dying later from their injuries, a total of 146 people were killed by the fire.
How many survived Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
Bessie Cohen, who as a 19-year-old seamstress escaped the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in which 146 of her co-workers perished in 1911, died on Sunday in Los Angeles. She was 107 and was one of the last two known survivors of the Manhattan fire, according to the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.
What was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and why was it important?
The Triangle Fire of March 25, 1911, destroyed hundreds of lives — both those who died and their families. Sadly, it required the ashes of 146 people to redesign and reimagine the workplace of the early 20th century.
What changes happened after the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
In October 1911, New York passed the Sullivan-Hoey Fire Prevention Law in response to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. It required factory owners to install sprinkler systems, established the New York City Fire Prevention Bureau, and expanded the powers of the fire commissioner.
Who was blamed for the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
Timeline. A fire breaks out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, killing 146 people. Factory co-owners Isaac Harris and Max Blanck are indicted on charges of manslaughter.
How could the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire have been prevented?
The Triangle factory’s owners, hoping to cut down on unscheduled employee breaks, purposely locked exit doors. During the fire, fire stairs were blocked by flames and the pathway to the roof, which allowed the owners to escape unharmed, was a secret kept from employees.
What is the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory today?
On March 25, 2003, it was named a New York City Landmark. As of 2020, it hosts classrooms and science labs. Memorial plaques commemorate the victims. Each March on the fire’s anniversary, the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition organizes a memorial gathering.
How many laws were passed after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire?
“There were over 20 laws passed which changed fire safety, building safety, charged the state with worker safety.”
Why were the doors locked in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
The factories also were unsanitary, or as a young striker explained, “unsanitary—that’s the word that is generally used, but there ought to be a worse one used.” At the Triangle factory, women had to leave the building to use the bathroom, so management began locking the steel exit doors to prevent the “interruption of
What impact did the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory have on workplace safety?
These employees – many of whom were young female immigrants – were working a typical long 12-hour shift for low wages when one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history turned their workplace into a death trap. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire killed 146 workers and injured dozens more.
What happened to Blanck and Harris?
On December 27, after the court heard emotional testimony from more than 100 witnesses, both Harris and Blanck were acquitted of all charges.
Why were Harris and Blanck found not guilty?
Blanck and Harris go Free
As one juror stated: I believed that the door was locked at the time of the fire. But we couldn’t find them guilty unless we believed they knew the door was locked. With the support of District Attorney Charles S.
What happened to Blanck and Harris after the fire?
On March 11, 1914, three years after the fire, Harris and Blanck settled. They paid 75 dollars per life lost. Harris and Blanck were to continue their defiant attitude toward the authorities.
How much money did the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers make?
$6 per week
Their average pay was $6 per week, and many worked six days a week in order to earn a little more money. Like many of their fellow immigrants in other factories throughout the city, the Triangle Shirtwaist workers labored from 7 in the morning until 8 at night with one half-hour break for lunch.
How many factory workers died as a result of the Triangle fire?
146 workers
The 100th anniversary of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, which killed 146 workers in a New York City garment factory, marks a century of reforms that make up the core of OSHA’s mission.
Who mostly worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory?
young women
The factory employed mostly young women, some as young as 14; most were immigrants, and all were expected to work grueling, 13-hour days. Workers were goaded by supervisors who discouraged bathroom and lunch breaks and punished them for talking, singing, or pausing in their monotonous work.