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THE TRIANGLE FIRE

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THE TRIANGLE FIRE How it Changed America Forever! – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: THE TRIANGLE FIRE


1
THE TRIANGLE FIRE
  • How it Changed America Forever!

2
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?

3
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.

4
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.

5
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

6
THE FIRE
  • In the afternoon of March 25, 1911 a fire began
    on the eighth floor.
  • 146 had died of the 500 employees.

7
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.
8
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. 
9
  • 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.

10
  • 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.

11
  • 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.

12
  • 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.

13
  • 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.

14
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.

15
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.
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