You may have already seen references to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Centennial Commemoration. It was one hundred tears ago, March 25, 1911, that 146 garment workers died in a New York City sweatshop fire. Fire doors were bolted shut; the inadequate fire escape buckled and twisted when some workers tried to flee the building that way. The building was ten stories tall; the fire broke out on the top floors. The fire ladders reached only six floors. Many workers died as they leapt to their death to escape the heat and flames. The dead were mostly women, mostly immigrants and outrage was intense throughout the country.
From this tragedy was born the modern movement for safety regulations. The fire will be a year-long theme for many workers advocacy groups.
Here in Ithaca there will be several opportunities to mourn and then to join in the struggle for safety and health advances for workers today.
On Wednesday March 23 at 7pm, the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, the Labor Religion Coalition of the Finger Lakes (the recently renamed Religious Task Force), and the Kheel Center of the ILR School at Cornell University are cosponsoring a film and discussion on the Triangle fire and workers’ issues today. This event will take place at the Unitarian Church, 306 N. Aurora Street in Ithaca.
On Friday March 25, 4pm, an interfaith vigil to remember the victims of workers’ abuses everywhere will be held at the Bernie Milton Pavillion on the Commons.
Also, The Kheel Center has an excellent website dedicated to the fire, its survivors, the funeral and everything related to the tragedy which killed 146 people within 18 minutes.
All photos on this page are from the Kheel Center’s Triangle Shirtwaist Fire archives.
