Triangle Fire Trial Research Paper

Kylie Kenneavy

April 7, 2024

U.S. History Since 1877.

The Triangle Fire trial was a famous trial that took place in December of 1911 after a detrimental fire broke out in March of the same year. This fire took place at a shirtwaist factory in Manhattan, New York City. 146 workers’ lives were taken during the fire from smoke inhalation while trapped inside with limited ways out, and other fatalities occurred from employees jumping out of windows nine to ten floors high. The trial outcome was not what most wanted after the two negligent owners were not held accountable for their actions regarding the fire and the deaths from it. Interviews, transcripts, and appeals can be used to understand how the Triangle fire led to a push for better

New York City fire marshal William L. Beers visited the factory to do an in-depth investigation of the remains of the fire escape and doors. One of his biggest concerns about the building was the fire escape, claiming it was inadequate and was a leading cause of a huge proportion of the deaths that had occurred. When asked by the judge why it was inadequate for use, he said that it was not only too light but also too small to maintain the weight and amount of people coming down it. Beers also said the egress was obstructing the space of the stairway to the platform (The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Trial, Key Testimony, P. 25). These were major problems being this was the only fire escape in the building, and it was not capable of withstanding the number of people it needed to because there was a large number of workers. Beers’ remarks about the fire escape were true, as it collapsed during the fire from the weight of the employees trying to escape quickly. This staircase was not even up to code with the New York laws pertaining to fire escapes. The law left the decision to an inspector to decide and in this case, it was specified that the fire escape was to lead down to something more than just a skylight (The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Trial, New York Law, P. 2). In the original building plans, it was designed to be up to

But one witness, Anna Gullo, who was a ninth floor operator, would go against this claim with a statement saying that she had never once seen any sort of key in a lock or hanging beside it (New York Times, The Triangle T-shirt Factory, P. 2). After reading even more witness statements, the majority of them would go on to reiterate the claim that there was no key hanging around the door. One key witness that further shut down the defense’s unlocked door claim was a nine-year bead-cutter for the Triangle Factory named Robert Wolfson. His statement had an interesting take as it was not something that directly happened before or during the fire, but after. After the fire occurred, a comment was made by owner Isaac Harris in a private conversation between the two men. Harris said to Wolfson, “The dead ones are dead and will be buried. The living ones are alive and they will have to live. Sure, the doors were locked; I wouldn't let them rob my fortune." New York Times, Triangle Case to Jurise Today, P.4. To hear this just goes to prove how awful these men were. It was made extremely clear that he had no remorse for the people that did not make it out alive. This goes to prove that he was more worried about his money or “fortune” than the safety and well-being of his hardworking employees. As a