The Industrial Revolution revolutionized employment by allowing better-quality products to be produced faster and for less money. Until disaster hit, efficiency was the goal, and firms and the government had little motivation to protect workers. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is one of the most well-known workplace disasters. Sweatshops were popular in New York in 1911. Workers—often children and teenagers who have recently emigrated to America—work 12-hour days for pitiful pay. Almost the majority of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory’s employees were young girls, predominantly Italian and Jewish immigrants. The factory itself was risky. Managers refused to install sprinkler systems, fire alarms, or any other safety precautions. The factory featured several Storeys but only one operational elevator, which was only accessible via a long, narrow hallway. To avoid thieving, one of the two stairwells was locked during shifts, while the door to the other only opened inward. The solitary fire escape was so tiny that navigating it was practically impossible. Because of local government corruption, they would not be held accountable for these safety issues. Those on the upper stories escaped to the factory’s roof and then climbed to nearby buildings. The building’s fire escape eventually collapsed due to the heat. As firefighters arrived, individuals who remained trapped inside the building began jumping out of windows in a desperate attempt to escape. In an attempt to save the workers, firemen used ladders to reach the 7th story—one floor below where the fire started. Firefighters deployed a safety net, which saved a few people until it ripped. Bystanders gasped in terror as it appeared that nothing could be done. Because this was labor, I’m glad there was no other factory built. It’s incredible how many things the owners got away with. Why did it take 146 people to die for change to happen? The Triangle Shirtwaist was such a heartbreaking event.