Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire at the Asch Building

On March 25, 1911, a fire swept through the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory on the upper floors of the Asch Building at 23-29 Washington Place, killing 146 garment workers. Locked doors, inadequate fire escapes, and crowded working conditions contributed to the high death toll. The disaster galvanized public opinion and led to significant reforms in factory safety standards, labor laws, and fire codes in New York and beyond. The Asch Building (now the Brown Building at NYU) remains associated with the tragedy in historical accounts.