Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Carlos Gonzalez Prof. Ursic 22 April 2024
Abstract The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 perfectly shows the aftershocks of labor exploitation, ignorance of factory safety. Such as a lack of sprinklers, and a lack of any fire resistant materials. There was a lack of safety exits, as the majority of the doors were locked. It is unknown how the fire started, but there are assumptions that it started with a lit cigarette. The highly flammable materials did the rest. The fire grew and burnt the upper floors and claimed 140+ workers’ lives. Many of them were immigrant women from Europe. This was one of the biggest industrial tragedies in United States history, and was a wake-up call for many businesses …show more content…
Shepherd did connect the fire with the strikes that occurred earlier. He suggested that it was an interesting coincidence that 4000 workers left just a few hours earlier before the fire struck. He states: “Four thousand workers, most fortunately, had left the building about an hour — and a half before — had tripped along toward the east side laughingly, buoyantly. Or this was their fine day—pay day. These were the girls and boys and men and women from the factories and waterrooms on the seven lower floors and the shipping departments in the basement. All the places except the Triangle Waist Company factory closed down at 3 o'clock yesterday. The Triangle Waist Company does not recognize the union. Around their big shop, a strike centered not long ago. The delay in the filling of orders caused by the strike had made it necessary for the toilers to — work overtime. That was why they sat bent over their machines and otherwise were busy with their tasks yesterday afternoon” (Shepherd 10). Triangle Waist Company did not recognize the union and remained open for overtime. The workers were required to work overtime, which explains why many of them were still present in the factory
Abstract The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911 perfectly shows the aftershocks of labor exploitation, ignorance of factory safety. Such as a lack of sprinklers, and a lack of any fire resistant materials. There was a lack of safety exits, as the majority of the doors were locked. It is unknown how the fire started, but there are assumptions that it started with a lit cigarette. The highly flammable materials did the rest. The fire grew and burnt the upper floors and claimed 140+ workers’ lives. Many of them were immigrant women from Europe. This was one of the biggest industrial tragedies in United States history, and was a wake-up call for many businesses …show more content…
Shepherd did connect the fire with the strikes that occurred earlier. He suggested that it was an interesting coincidence that 4000 workers left just a few hours earlier before the fire struck. He states: “Four thousand workers, most fortunately, had left the building about an hour — and a half before — had tripped along toward the east side laughingly, buoyantly. Or this was their fine day—pay day. These were the girls and boys and men and women from the factories and waterrooms on the seven lower floors and the shipping departments in the basement. All the places except the Triangle Waist Company factory closed down at 3 o'clock yesterday. The Triangle Waist Company does not recognize the union. Around their big shop, a strike centered not long ago. The delay in the filling of orders caused by the strike had made it necessary for the toilers to — work overtime. That was why they sat bent over their machines and otherwise were busy with their tasks yesterday afternoon” (Shepherd 10). Triangle Waist Company did not recognize the union and remained open for overtime. The workers were required to work overtime, which explains why many of them were still present in the factory