On this day, 25 March 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York took place, which killed 147 workers. The victims were mostly women and young girls aged 13 to 23 working in sweatshop conditions.
Some were burned, others were trampled to death, desperately trying to escape via stairway exits illegally locked to prevent “the interruption of work.” 50 died leaping from the high-rise building to escape the flames.
The company owners were charged with seven counts of manslaughter – but found not guilty.
Learn more about women workers’ organising in the US at this time in our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/2018/12/02/e16-women-in-the-early-iww/ https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1383806678471145/?type=3
They had a strike earlier & the police clubbed them.
