On a sunny afternoon in March 1911, a small fire started in a factory located in New York City. This wasn't just any factory; it was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, where hundreds of workers, most of them young women, stitched clothes for long hours under poor conditions. The fire quickly turned into a catastrophe. The workers found themselves trapped because the exit doors were locked, a common practice at the time to prevent theft. Within 30 minutes, the fire claimed the lives of 146 workers, making it one of the deadliest industrial disasters in U.S. history. This tragic event stirred the nation and led to significant changes. Public outrage over the disaster pressured the government to improve factory safety standards and labor laws. The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire became a catalyst for workplace reform, and its legacy continues to impact labor laws to this day.