THE TRIANGLE FIRE

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THE TRIANGLE FIRE

• How it Changed America Forever!

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DO NOW

• Do you know the story of the triangle Fire?
  Write down your thoughts.
• Do we have laws that protect us when we are
  working?
• What are Unions?

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THE STORY

• March 25, 1911
• This incident has had great significance to this
  day because it highlights the inhumane working
  conditions to which industrial workers can be
  subjected.
• A fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch
  Building in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company.

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HISTORY

• The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was owned by Max
  Blanck and Isaac Harris.
• The company employed about 500 workers, mostly
  young female immigrants.
• Worked 14 hours shifts.
• Sewed clothes for a wage of 1.50/week.

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FACTORY CONDITIONS

• Over crowded
• Underage
• Flammable textiles were stored throughout the
  factory
• Smoking was common
• Lighting was provided by open gas lighting
• No fire extinguishers were available

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THE FIRE

• In the afternoon of March 25, 1911 a fire began
  on the eighth floor.
• 146 had died of the 500 employees.

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At the corner of Greene Street and Washington
Place despairing onlookers saw fire fighters
struggle to control the blaze while young men and
women escaping the fire jumped to certain death. 
Sprinkler systems were available which might have
controlled the fire but they were considered by
many factory owners to be too costly.
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THE TRAGEDY
For endless hours, police officers held lanterns
to light the bodies while crowds filed past
victims laid out in numbered rough brown
coffins.  As the dead were identified the coffin
was closed and moved aside.  Forty-three were
identified by sunrise on Sunday. Six days later 7
were still unrecognized. 
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• Bodies lay piled on the sidewalk along Greene
  Street together with hoses, fire rescue nets, and
  part of a wagon.
• All were drenched by the tons of water used to
  contain and extinguish the fire.

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• The 240 employees sewing shirtwaists on the ninth
  floor had their escape blocked by back-to-back
  chairs and workbaskets in the aisles. 
• The 75-foot long paired sewing machine tables
  obstructed essential access to the windows,
  stairs, and elevators.

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• Doctors examining each body for signs of life
  located survivors among those that piled up on
  the sidewalk and street. 
• Officers gathered personal items including money,
  pay envelopes, papers, and jewelry for safe
  keeping and placed numbered tags on victims
  before taking the dead to the Twenty-sixth Street
  Pier temporary morgue.

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• For endless hours, police officers held lanterns
  to light the bodies while crowds filed past
  victims laid out in numbered rough brown
  coffins. 
• As the dead were identified the coffin was closed
  and moved aside.

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• The day after the blaze, grief stricken crowds
  gathered at the site of the tragedy crying the
  names of their loved ones, begging for
  information, and struggling to come to terms with
  the reality of their worst fears.

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UNIONS

• Unions were formed to create safe and fair
  working conditions for all employees.
• We have Labor Laws in New York State to protect
  under aged workers.

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QUESTIONS

• Do you think this could have been avoided if we
  had child labor laws back then?
• Does your job give a class on fire safety when
  you go for training?
• Using the Internet what was the International
  Ladies Garment Workers Union?
• True or False The International Ladies Garment
  Workers Union was formed in 1900.