What killed 146 people in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
Aftermath. Although early references of the death toll ranged from 141 to 148, almost all modern references agree that 146 people died as a result of the fire: 123 women and girls and 23 men. Most victims died of burns, asphyxiation, blunt impact injuries, or a combination of the three.
Were there bathrooms in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory?
The workers, mostly women and young girls, were trapped inside because the factory owners had locked the exit doors to prevent them from leaving to go to the bathroom during their 12-hour shifts (there was no bathroom in the building).
What was the main cause of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire?
What Started The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? On March 25, a Saturday afternoon, there were 600 workers at the factory when a fire began in a rag bin. The manager attempted to use the fire hose to extinguish it, but was unsuccessful, as the hose was rotted and its valve was rusted shut.
What floor did the fire start in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory?
One hundred years ago on March 25, fire spread through the cramped Triangle Waist Company garment factory on the 8th, 9th and 10th floors of the Asch Building in lower Manhattan. Workers in the factory, many of whom were young women recently arrived from Europe, had little time or opportunity to escape.
What does the word Shirtwaist mean?
Definition of shirtwaist : a woman’s tailored garment (such as a blouse or dress) with details copied from men’s shirts.
What did workers discover when they ran to the Washington place stairway Why was this door locked?
A stairway led down to Washington Place. As smoke and fire filled the shop from the Greene Street side, the frightened women ran to the Washington Place exit, only to discover that the door was locked. They were trapped inside a burning building.
How did Bessie Cohen survive the Triangle fire?
Completing a nine-hour shift that March afternoon in New York, Cohen ran down eight flights of stairs to escape. UNITE considered Cohen and the long-ago Triangle fire symbols of safety problems in the garment industry that the union says continue today. Cohen is survived by her son, Jack Kosslyn, of West Hollywood.