IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 182 
Recognizing the historical significance of the Triangle Fire in the struggle 
to improve worker safety standards and protections on the 100th anniver-
sary of the fire. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 17, 2011 
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. KING of New York, Mr. RAN-
GEL, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. 
MEEKS, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. TONKO, Mr. OWENS, Ms. RICHARDSON, Mr. 
BERMAN, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SIRES, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. OLVER, Ms. WILSON of Florida, and 
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the historical significance of the Triangle Fire 
in the struggle to improve worker safety standards and 
protections on the 100th anniversary of the fire. 
Whereas, on March 25, 1911, a fire, commonly referred to 
as the Triangle Fire, broke out at the Triangle Shirt-
waist Company factory; 
Whereas the factory was located on the top floors of the Asch 
Building on the corner of Greene Street and Washington 
Place in New York City; 
Whereas fire inspections and precautions proved woefully in-
adequate; 
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•HRES 182 IH 
Whereas the fire swept through the factory in under a half 
hour; 
Whereas employees were unprepared for the fire because the 
Triangle Shirtwaist Company did not conduct fire drills 
and locked doors hindered the evacuation; 
Whereas 146 of the 600 factory employees died in the fire; 
Whereas the factory conditions had also been deplorable, and 
included poor sanitation and overcrowding; 
Whereas the victims were predominantly European Jewish 
and Italian immigrants who had recently emigrated with 
their families to the United States in search of a better 
life; 
Whereas in the wake of the Triangle Fire tragedy, people 
throughout the Nation demanded restitution, justice, and 
action to safeguard the vulnerable and oppressed; 
Whereas the Triangle Fire sparked massive protests by peo-
ple angry at the indifference and greed that led to the 
Triangle Fire tragedy; 
Whereas over the next 20 years, there was a substantial ef-
fort to alleviate the most dangerous aspects of sweatshop 
manufacturing in New York and throughout the Nation; 
Whereas the labor movement and progressive organizations 
fought a long and difficult battle to secure a right to safe 
and decent working conditions in factories; 
Whereas, on February 17, 2001, the last survivor of the Tri-
angle Fire, Rose Freedman, passed away at the age of 
107; 
Whereas although the public outrage resulting from the Tri-
angle Fire eventually subsided, the Triangle Fire and its 
victims were not forgotten; 
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•HRES 182 IH 
Whereas the Triangle Fire raised awareness of the many dif-
ficult conditions endured by factory workers and paved 
the way for worker protection laws; and 
Whereas March 25, 2011 is the 100th anniversary of the Tri-
angle Fire: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the historical significance of the 
fire that occurred on March 25, 1911, at the Tri-
angle Shirtwaist Company factory, commonly re-
ferred to as the Triangle Fire, in the struggle to im-
prove worker safety standards and protections; 
(2) honors the victims of the Triangle Fire; and 
(3) commends all the government agencies, 
labor unions, and industry groups that attempted to 
aid the victims of the Triangle Fire and played in-
strumental roles in facilitating lasting improvement 
in worker safety standards and protections. 
Æ 
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