On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. The factory, located on the upper floors of a building, employed many young immigrant women. Locked doors and poor safety measures trapped workers inside. One hundred forty-six people died, either in the fire or from jumping to escape the flames. The tragedy shocked the public and led to intense scrutiny of workplace conditions. It spurred major reforms in fire safety, building codes, and labor laws in New York and other states.
