Triangle Fire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Triangle Fire - Essay Example The scrap bin was accumulated with cuttings of around two months and a lighted cigarette or a match was possibly the starting point of the fire. On the other hand, some explain that the engines which supported the sewing machines may have caused the fire, whereas many historians believe that it was pre-planned by the owners of the factory. The owners, Blanck and Harris were present at the factory premises when the fire broke out along with their workers in the 10-storey building. When the fire broke out, the two owners saved themselves by running to the roof and jumping to the adjoining building, but their workers met a terrible fate and 146 of them were either burnt alive or jumped out of the building windows in horror to save themselves. When the workers used the Washington Place stairways to flee, they noticed it was locked which took from them the only hope of escaping the sight safely. The Washington Place Stairway was locked from the outside to prevent theft by the workers. The workers demanded for better working conditions because they were made to work for longer hours at very low wages and they were deprived of the basic amenities and facilities. Whereas on the other hand, the factory owners rejected these demands put forth by the workers of the factory, so that they could protect the industries from the effects of unionizations and regulations. Plus, the low profit margins coupled with the high costs prevented the owners from meeting the demands of the workers because the fulfillment was monetarily not feasible. Many female workers who worked at the factory were immigrants, from Europe and Italy, who had migrated in hope of a better life and future. The poor working conditions they faced and the grinding poverty made their lives even more difficult. The work conditions were horrific, with long working hours and low wages. Many of these workers, in protest of the poor working conditions joined unions and even went out on strikes.