Fire engulfs the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the Asch Building,
occupied by the Triangle Waist Company, causing the death of 146
workers.
The call to fire stations goes out at 4:45pm. Firemen rush to the
scene but are unable to save workers trapped by locked doors or
unable to negotiate doors opening inward. Many jump to their deaths
or perish inside the burning building. The firemen's ladders do not
reach above the 6th floor, nor do the water hoses. The nets are
insufficient to blunt the workers' fall. Others perish in the collapse of
the fire escape ladder, which does not reach the ground. The public
outcry over the tragedy mounts, fueled by rumors that the doors were locked and by a sense that owners' greed prevented the adoption of
basic fire and safety measures.
Learn more about the fire
Read interviews from people who survived the fire
