Title: THE TRIANGLE FIRE
1THE TRIANGLE FIRE
- How it Changed America Forever!
2DO 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?
3THE 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.
4HISTORY
- 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.
5FACTORY 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
6THE FIRE
- In the afternoon of March 25, 1911 a fire began
on the eighth floor. - 146 had died of the 500 employees.
7At 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.
8THE 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.
14UNIONS
- 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.
15QUESTIONS
- 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.