Late 2 The Party

102 years ago today a fire broke out on the 8th floor of a building in the north-west corner of Washington Place and Greene Street. Within minutes the fire would spread to the 9th and 10th floors claiming the lives of 146 people. Mostly young women.

  The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire was the largest loss of life in a single event on the island of Manhattan until 9/11. It is taught today in history books as a catharsis of workplace regulation and women’s rights in the work place.

  It’s easy to imagine a dank poorly lit work environment but in actuality it was rather well kept and spacious.

The locked exits and secondary doors that, in my mind at least, were the doings of miserly foremen was a regular precaution taken in those days to prevent theft of both time and merchandise.

The eldest of victim of the tragedy was 43, the two youngest were 14 years old.

The no-nonsense, ass kicking, blob defeating, Nazi escaping, mafia chasing, "King of Cool"would have been 83 today.