U.S. remembers NYC factory fire that killed nearly 150 workers

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U.S. remembers NYC factory fire that killed nearly 150 workers

2011-03-26 12:59:15 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW YORK CITY (BNO NEWS) -- The United States on Friday remembered the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in New York City, killing nearly 150 people in what remains the deadliest industrial disaster in the city's history. It happened exactly 100 years ago.

The blaze broke out at approximately 4.45 p.m. Eastern time on March 25, 1911 when an estimated 500 people were working in the factory, which occupied the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of what is now known as the Brown Building in lower Manhattan.

The flames spread rapidly through the three floors which were overcrowded, littered with cloth scraps, and contained almost no water to douse the fire, giving workers at the factory little time to escape. On top of that, panicked workers encountered locked doors and broken fire escapes and they were trapped by long tables and bulky machines.

Hundreds of bystanders watched in horror as young workers, mostly young female immigrants of Jewish and Italian descent, jumped or fell out of the windows to escape the blaze, falling to their deaths on the street below.

By the end of the day, the death toll stood at 145 and many of the bodies were burned beyond recognition. A woman who jumped out of the building and survived passed away on March 30, 1911, raising the death toll to 146.

The deadly inferno sent shockwaves throughout the United States, where most workers had few to no rights and many endured deplorable conditions, dangerous tasks, grueling hours and oppressive wages. The event eventually stirred America to move to protect workers.

Two years before the blaze, the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) Local 25 had helped to deliver minor improvements to wages and working conditions for 15,000 garment workers in New York City. But the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, Isaac Harris and Max Blanck, refused to update any of their safety measures and did not recognize unions. In fact, about 150 people working at the factory were fired for being suspected 'union sympathizers.'

Just a few days after the disaster, despite the public's outrage, Harris and Blanck opened a new factory that had no fire escape and had inadequate exists. But survivors and relatives of the victims were relieved to hear later that Harris and Blanck were charged with manslaughter for the fire, but they were shattered when the factory owners were acquitted of the charges because prosecutors failed to convince the jury that Harris and Blanck knew the doors were being locked.

Nonetheless, the tragic fire brought changes to New York City and the entire state in the following years. The state of New York adopted the country's strongest worker safety protection laws, which initially focussed on fire safety, but eventually also addressed issues such as minimum wage and maximum working hours.

On Friday, a number of churches, schools and fire houses across the United States stepped outside and rang their bells at 4.45 p.m. Eastern time to remember the tragedy and its victims. And in New York City, scores of people came together at the Brown Building, which survived the blaze in 1911.

"A century later, we reflect not only on the tragic loss of these young lives, but also on the movement they inspired," President Barack Obama said in a presidential proclamation. "The Triangle factory fire was a galvanizing moment, calling American leaders to reexamine their approach to workplace conditions and the purpose of unions. The fire awakened the conscience of our Nation, inspiring sweeping improvements to safety regulations both in New York and across the United States."

Among the more than 1,000 people who witnessed the tragedy from the streets below was Frances Perkin. The event dramatically changed her life and she became a dedicated activist for American workers. From March 1933 until June 1945, Perkins served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor under U.S. Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. She was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet.

"Despite the enormous progress made since the Triangle factory fire, we are still fighting to provide adequate working conditions for all women and men on the job, ensure no person within our borders is exploited for their labor, and uphold collective bargaining as a tool to give workers a seat at the tables of power," Obama said. "Working Americans are the backbone of our communities and power the engine of our economy. As we mark the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, let us resolve to renew the urgency that tragedy inspired and recommit to our shared responsibility to provide a safe environment for all American workers."

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