March+25,+1911



On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company, which was located in the upper floors of a New York City building, caught fire killing 146 workers, mostly consisting of Italian and Jewish girls. The fire was said to have started when some fabric and rubbish was lit somehow. Many workers fled into the fire escapes, but those collapsed, and sent people plunging down to the pavement. People trapped in the building were so desperate that they jumped into the fire nets below, which then tore, killing many. The builing swelled into an inferno since the Triangle Shirtwaist Company manufactured tailored women's blouses. This tragedy triggered many movements to reform fire safety rules.http://weblog.xanga.com/SilentCharlie/589222385/item.html America Pathway to the Present pg. 389