Požar tvrtke Triangle Shirtwaist, također poznat kao Triangle Fire, bio je zloglasna industrijska katastrofa koja je dovela do velikih reformi u protupožarnoj sigurnosti, tvorničkim procedurama i sindikalnom udruživanju radnika u odjevnoj industriji. Požar, koji je odnio živote 146 ljudi, počeo je poslijepodne 25. ožujka 1911. na osmom katu tvrtke Triangle Shirtwaist Company u New Yorku. Vatra u trokutu često se navodi kao užasan primjer užasnih uvjeta u kojima su radili radnici u znojnicama prije pojave velikih reformi za američku radničku klasu.
The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was owned by Max Blanc and Isaac Harris, who founded the company to take advantage of the growing trend of long skirts and blouses, or shirtwaists, which became popular in the early part of the 20th century. The Triangle Fire struck a severe blow to both men and their business, which never fully recovered. The factory employed 500 men and women, although the majority of the workers were female, and most of those trapped and killed by the Triangle Fire were women. Most of the employees were illegal immigrants trying to build better lives for themselves in America, and they endured the unpleasant working conditions because they felt they had no other choice.
Before the Triangle Fire, the company was already well known for resisting attempts at unionizing. A massive city-wide strike organized in 1909 originated at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, and four months of negotiations by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union finally brought about an agreement, which the Triangle Shirtwaist Company refused to accept. During the strike, the factory employed scabs and vicious protectors who were later accused of severely beating young strikers.
Požar trokuta počeo je kasno poslijepodne, malo prije promjene smjene, u kanti tekstilnih reznica. Tvornica je bila na gornjim katovima desetokatnice Asch zgrade, na uglu Greene Streeta i Washington Placea. Vatra u trokutu ilustrirala je činjenicu dobro poznatu odjevnim radnicima – da su većina tvornica odjeće potencijalne zamke za požar, s kantama s lako zapaljivim tekstilom i uzorcima okruženim radnicima koji puše i preopterećenim šivaćim strojevima koji su se ponekad pregrijavali i izazivali male požare. Zapravo, tvrtka Triangle Shirtwaist Company već je bila citirana zbog zabrinutosti za sigurnost od požara.
Dok su se na osmom i desetom katu uključili protupožarni alarmi, deveti kat nije bio upozoren, a većina radnika na tom katu nije preživjela, zarobljena vrućinom Trokuta vatre, zaključanim vratima i panikom. Svi katovi imali su samo jedan otvoren izlaz, jer su druga vrata bila zaključana, navodno kako bi spriječili radnike da prave pauze, odlaze ranije ili kradu. Vatra je jurila stubištem s otključanim vratima, učinkovito zarobivši radnike u vrlo zapaljivim radnim prostorijama. Mnogi od njih skakali su kroz prozore na katu ili niz okno dizala, ponekad i zapaljeni, u pokušaju da pobjegnu od vrućine.
Workers lucky enough to escape to the roof were rescued by employees of a neighboring office building and the fire department, which arrived on the scene very quickly. The owners of the factory escaped to the roof and were later acquitted of wrongdoing in the fire. Labor activists were furious, as were many lawmakers, and the Triangle Fire ultimately resulted in legislation that still governs working conditions in the United States.