Feb. 24, 2011 at 2:36pmTriangle Fire

American Experience

On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York’s Greenwich Village. Workers tried to make their way out of the congested loft, but the doors on their floor were locked and the fire escape soon crumpled.

Huge piles of trimmings fed the flames and petrified workers desperately tried to make their way downstairs.  Hundreds of horrified on-lookers arrived just in time to see young men and women jumping from the windows. By the time the fire had burned itself out, 146 people were dead.  Less than two years earlier, the workers of the factory had been leaders in an industry-wide strike to protest dismal wages and dangerous working conditions.  Most of the workers returned to their shops without having their demands met.  It took the tragedy of the fire and the ensuing public outrage to force government action.  The landmark legislation that followed gave New Yorkers the most comprehensive workplace safety laws in the country.

Join us on Monday, February 28th at 9:00 PM Pacific Time, when KSPS-TV presents “The Triangle Fire: American Experience,” a one-hour historical documentary that looks at one of America’s deadliest fires.

On February 20th the New York Times featured an article by Joseph Berger on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.  It is an interesting story of researchers seeking closure for the families of some of the victims of this disaster.  This link will take you to the article