Essay On Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the history of New York City. A fire broke out in this sweatshop that employed mostly young immigrant women who worked long hours in dangerous and cramped conditions. The fire quickly spread through the building, trapping workers on the upper floors, and the tragic event claimed the lives of 146 workers, on March 25th, 1911. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire became a turning point in American labor history, leading to the establishment of important workplace safety regulations and sparking a movement for workers' rights. Corruption and greed doused the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, setting America in flames, impossible to put out. Women's

Additionally, the factory's ventilation was subpar, exposing the staff to hazardous chemicals and dust. The countdown of the fire was initiated by many safety hazards that made the building more prone to fires starting. Firstly, before the fire started, in garment factories it was normal to fill buckets with water in case of a fire. Although this was a normal practice, Mary Domsy-Abrams recalled ‘“On that particular morning, the day of the tragedy, I remarked to my colleagues that the buckets were empty, and that if anything were to happen, they would be of no use,”’ she said” (Kiger 2019). The lack of a sprinkler and a fire system also proved to be a huge safety hazard. Without the presence of such utilities, the workers were placed in immense danger, and during the fire, “since there were no alarms to inform employees about the incident, many workers on the ninth floor were unaware of the fire until a significant amount of smoke and flames had spread to their area, making escape more difficult. Workers on the tenth floor, however, learned of the fire over the telephone” (“Triangle” 2022). Moreover, in addition to the lack of fire utilities, the elevators in the building were also not capable of their job during the fire. Despite the four elevators, only two were operable, but they were useless and impractical as they could only fit twelve people at a time. In the event that many people had to escape, the limit on the elevators was far too small, providing the guarantee that not everyone would make it out. Furthermore, the elevators were operated manually by people, and in the midst of the fire, “one operator allegedly fled the scans and the other elevator was quickly rendered inoperable due to the fire” (“Triangle” 2022). Additionally, the owners, Harris and Blanck, were aware of the dangers but