Press Releases
Washington, D.C. - Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today to mark the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in lower Manhattan, which lasted 18 minutes, left 146 dead, and galvanized the fledgling American labor movement:
"A century ago, a fire burned through three floors of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, one of many garment sweatshops in New York City. Trapped inside, many workers - mostly young Jewish and Italian women - leapt out windows to their deaths; others were consumed by the flames. In total, 146 died. Once the smoke had cleared, it was clear that much of the loss of life was due to lax safety standards and hazardous working conditions: many were trapped in the flames by doors that the owners had locked shut.