The story of a tragic fire that reshaped workplace safety in New York and beyond.

The tragic 1911 Triangle Fire, in which 146 New Yorkers (mostly young immigrant women) died, was one of the most horrific tragedies in the city's history. This book situates that catastrophe in proper historical and social context, explaining what led up to it and the workplace safety reforms that followed it. Daniel Kornstein unravels the legal aspects of what happened and how the tragedy helped propel the labor movement. By careful study of the transcript of the criminal trial of the Triangle owners, the author demonstrates the flaws in the prosecution case that led to the owners' unexpected and unpopular acquittal. Most importantly, this book shows how New York, aided by several committed and passionate reformers, pushed itself and the nation to convert a disaster into a catalyst for revolutionizing and improving workplace safety in America.