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Why was the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory important?

The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory occurred on March 25, 1911, in New York City. The blaze, which killed 146 people (most of them women), prompted immediate public outrage and led to improved fire safety laws and working conditions in factories.

The factory, located on the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch Building, was where some 500 women and children sewed shirtwaists (women's blouses that were tailored like men's shirts). During the day workers had only a few minutes to eat, and to use a bathroom they had to leave the factory. Company supervisors kept the heavy steel door that led to the hall and stairwell locked, so workers could not leave without permission. On the day that the fire broke out it spread quickly on the eighth floor of the building, rushing through piles of fabric and paper patterns....

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