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Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Essay

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The Triangle shirtwaist factory fire on March 25, 1911, was one of the worst tragedies ever back then, causing the death of 146 workers. This company was owned by Max Blank and Isaac Harris. They had a little shop by 1900 and it grew quickly, they moved their business to the ninth floor of the new ten-story Asch building. There were approximately 500 workers, mostly immigrant women, worked at the Triangle shirtwaist company. Bessie Cohen, who survived was inside the building and wrote a short story of what had happened. Most women either died from the fire or jumped from a high height. They jumped because the fire trucks' ladders could only reach up to seventh floor. The doors were locked to prevent workers from stealing or leaving, thus, they …show more content…

They emigrated from Russia and met in the United States. By 1900 they had a little shop and it grew up quickly that they moved their business into Asch Building in the 8th floor then they moved to the tenth floor. There were approximately 500 people, mostly women who worked at the Triangle Waist Company. They worked at 7: 30 AM during the busy season, until nine o'clock in the evening. They didn't get paid any overtime on their paychecks. Many of the workers were very young, as low as age of …show more content…

Bessie Cohen, who survived was inside the building when the scene happened. She asked her friend to ask the foreman to give her a 50-cent raise. Within the next 15 minutes, the triangle caught up on fire killing 30 percent of workers. She heard a foreman shout to her, "Bessie, save yourself." She remembers when she looked at her friend Dora, then she looked again and she was gone. She was one of those who jumped from the window. The fire trucks' ladders could only reach up to the seventh floor. So they couldn't save the people above seventh floor. Also, firefighters held nets below, but there were jumping at the same time, so the nets couldn't hold them, so they died. A few workers rushed to the elevator to no avail. Most of those who lost their lives had worked on the ninth floor. Also, the doors from the shop areas were locked, to keep the women at their sewing machines. That's unsafe for the workers. Some workers managed to escape to the roof. Finally, they have revealed the cause of the fire. According to the Triangle book, cigarette was the cause of the fire and due to the cottons (which is flammable), oxygen (explosively) papers, woods, and materials it grew bigger and blazed the workers killing them in instant that they had no time to

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First, the acting fire department commissioner could have enforced the owners and workers to participate in fire drills. These drills could have deterred the number of employees that traveled to the roof and prevented the number of employees that ultimately jumped to their death. While New York at the time was working on passing stricter factory fire protection laws, there should have been more fire inspections at this particular facility due to the four previous fires that had occurred. When we look closely at this fire, blueprints show that the stairwells were only a mere 33 inches wide. With the amount of workers entering and exiting this building 33 inches is not enough when large quantities of people must exit quickly while fire personnel is coming to distinguish any fires.

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