Triangle Factory Fire

1187 Words3 Pages

With the continued rise of industry and factories in the early twentieth century, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company is one that stands out from all the rest. During this time, The United States was experiencing a large influx of immigrants. These immigrants, in need of money to survive, became the employees of these growing factories and industries in the cities. The immigrants, who most did not speak English, were subject to poor wages, working hours, and conditions within these jobs. The Triangle Shirtwaist Company located in Manhattan on the top three floors of the Asch building, was no different from the rest. The owners were corrupt and did not care about the safety and well-being of their own employees. The owners themselves, were immigrants, …show more content…

There was approximately five minutes left in the workday before all the women could leave the building. From possibly a cigarette, a spark burst on the work floor. The factory floor was crowded in a surplus of material and crowded with too many chairs and tables. The fire quickly spread. Taken aback with all the commotion, the workers flocked to the doors, only to find them locked. The owners, Max Blanck and Issac Harris, had kept the doors locked to prevent any stealing from happening within their factory. The owners would later deny in trial that they had locked the doors. They simply stated the there was a key in the lock, which due to the destruction could never be proven wrong. Thus, getting both Blanck and Harris clear of any manslaughter charges. The fire continued to spread on the top floors of the Asch building. The workers went to the elevator, which quickly broke, adding to the death toll of 146 for the day. The only other escapes were through the windows and fire escapes. The fire escapes were not built to hold a large amount of weight and collapsed. Trapped and afraid, many women decided to make the jump out of the building. No one survived the jump, but a quick death looked more favorable compared to the fire. When firefighters reached the building, their ladders could not extend to the windows, nor could their nets stop the bodies. On lookers were met with screams, sirens, and smoke …show more content…

The funeral occurred on April 5, only after the bodies were identified. The bodies of the victims lined the streets of New York, evidence of the carelessness for the safety of the employees by the company. These were some of the same bodies that had marched the streets in hope of reform. In June of 1911, an investigation started by the local authorities and firefighters. In a testimony, the fire chief exclaimed, “Nothing is done to protect from fire.” This further showed that the company neglected to make sure there was proper safety measures put in place in case of an accident. The public was also met with defeat after the owners got out of jail time and avoided prosecution. Four years after the tragedy, new legislature was passed that included thirty-six new laws. Within this, the Division of Fire Protection was created. The organization went to local schools and workplaces to teach fire safety. They also informed people on the importance of fire alarms, fire drills, and banned smoking. On the day of the tragedy, the public felt hopeless that they could not prevent the deaths that occurred. In return, they made it their mission to prevent any future

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