How did the Triangle factory catch on fire?
The fire was believed to be started by a discarded cigarette in a waste bin full of highly flammable fabric on the 8th floor (3). As the workers were getting ready to go home after a gruelling day of nonstop physical labor, someone shouted “Fire!”. This sent all of the workers into a panic.
Was the Triangle factory fireproof?
Blanck and Harris dealt with fire hazards to their equipment and inventory by buying insurance, and the building itself was considered fireproof (and survived the fire without structural damage). Workplace safety, however, was not a priority for the owners.
What can we learn from the Triangle Factory Fire?
The tragedy served as a catalyst and major turning point for garment worker struggles in the United States, and the resulting rise-up underscored the importance of a union’s collective bargaining power to secure safe working conditions and fair wages in the industry.
What happened to the owners of the Triangle factory after the fire?
After the fire, the owners of Triangle Shirtwaist factory, Harris and Blanck, were brought to court on charges of manslaughter but were eventually acquitted. They were fined $75 for each life lost.
How many survived the 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.
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.
Was anyone held responsible for the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
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.
Was anyone held responsible for the Shirtwaist fire?
In the end, no one truly bore sole responsibility for the deaths of 146 employees at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. Isaac Harris and Max Blanck were acquitted for manslaughter and were later brought back to court for civil suits.
What reforms did the Triangle Shirtwaist fire lead to?
Amid the national scandal that followed the Triangle shirtwaist fire and resounding calls for change, New York State enacted many of the first significant worker protection laws. The tragedy led to fire-prevention legislation, factory inspection laws, and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union.
Was the Triangle Shirtwaist fire preventable?
The Triangle fire was an entirely preventable tragedy, but simple precautions were not taken. At the time of the Triangle Factory fire, automatic sprinkler systems and firewalls were available, but laws did not exist to force factories to use them.