Jessie Coons

US History
Industrialization
The Tragedy of Fire Presentation Activity Worksheet

Part 1: Iroquois Theater Fire

What was the business of A public theater.
the building?

What safety features did numerous deficiencies in fire readiness were apparent in the theater building.
the building have?
An editor of Fireproof Magazine toured the Iroquois during construction and
noted "the absence of an intake, or stage draft shaft; the exposed
reinforcement of the (proscenium) arch; the presence of wood trim on
everything, all the doors opening inwards, and the inadequate provision of
exits." A Chicago Fire Department captain, Patrick Jennings who made an
unofficial tour of the theater days before the official opening noted that there
were no sprinklers, alarms, telephones, or water connections. The captain
and the theater's fireman, William Sellers, discussed the deficiencies. The
onsite fire fighting equipment consisted of six "Kilfyre" fire extinguishers.The
user was instructed to "forcibly hurl" the contents of the tube at the base of
the flames. The fire began high above the stage, so the Kilfyre, when thrown,
fell uselessly to the ground

What safety features were The doors were opening inwards, so no one could get out because so
inadequate or not many people were pushing on them from behind. The fire extinguishers
functional? were also dysfunctional because they had to be thrown at the base of the
fire, but the fire started at the top so when they threw the extinguishers all
they did was fall to the floor.
How did the fire start? The investigation showed that the fire was sparked by an arc light which
ignited scenery curtains. Which then caught on the wood furnishes that
fueled the fire.

What were the reasons so The backdraft from the open door caused a sudden ball of flame to
many died? explode through the theater, instantly killing many in the virtually
inescapable balconies. It was powerful enough to blow at least one exit
door open, aiding those frantically trying to work the unfamiliar locks. The
doors opened inward so when people were trying to open the doors they
got stuck because anxious people from behind them kept shoving them
closer and closer to the door.

Was anyone held No because they were so against the fire code anyways
accountable in the
aftermath?

Part 2: Lakeview School Fire

What was the business of Public elementary school
the building?

What safety features did Immediate lessons learned: School boards took inventory of their schools
the building have? and made changes. They looked at construction methods, providing
 additional fire escapes and connecting fire alarms directly to the fire
department. Some would add fire sprinklers.
What safety features were This school was primarily wood construction with a brick exterior. There
inadequate or not
functional? were no protected vertical openings. Stairways were open from the
basement to the third story. Classrooms wrapped around an open hall to
those stairways. As students and teachers started to evacuate, smoke
and flames traveled vertically, quickly compromising the front entrance.
The smoke and flames spread across the basement to the other open
stairway. Some teachers, seeing the exits obstructed by smoke, fire and
students, directed their pupils to the one exterior fire escape. Other
teachers lowered students to safety through first-floor classroom
windows. Survivors stated that a mere three minutes after the fire was
discovered, exits were obstructed by flames and the bodies of victims.

- The building was way above max capacity so when students were
trying to leave they were trapped.
How did the fire start? The fire began shortly after 9 a.m when an overheated steam pipe came
in contact with wooden joists under the front stairs, and only 194 of the
366 students enrolled escaped the blaze.

What were the reasons so Panic, when people realized that it was not just a drill but the real thing.
many died? Some teachers, seeing the exits obstructed by smoke, fire and students,
directed their pupils to the one exterior fire escape. Other teachers
lowered students to safety through first-floor classroom windows.
Survivors stated that a mere three minutes after the fire was discovered,
exits were obstructed by flames and the bodies of victims. Younger
students would fall at the exits from the rush of older students trying to
escape. And when parents tried to pull their kids out they found that their
kids were totally stuck and that they could not pull them back.
Was anyone held Parents and other staff tried to place the blame on the custodian, but in
accountable in the the end it was decided that it was a mere accident and that all of the
aftermath? wood and other flammable things helped to fuel the fire and kill so many
people.

Part 3: Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

What was the business of Factory
the building?

What safety features did Managers refused to install any sprinkler systems, fire alarms or other
the building have? safety measures.

What safety features were The building had only one fire escape, which collapsed during the rescue
inadequate or not effort. Long tables and bulky machines trapped many of the victims.
functional? Panicked workers were crushed as they struggled with doors that were
locked by managers to prevent theft, or doors that opened the wrong
way.

How did the fire start? The fire was believed to be started by a discarded cigarette in a waste
bin full of highly flammable fabric on the 8th floor. As the workers were
getting ready to go home after a grueling day of nonstop physical labor,
someone shouted "Fire!". This sent all of the workers into a panic.

What were the reasons so The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment workers – 123 women and
many died? girls and 23 men – who died from the fire, smoke inhalation, or falling or
jumping to their deaths as the fire escape broke during the rescue
process.

Was anyone held In the end, no one truly bore sole responsibility for the deaths of 146
accountable in the employees at the Triangle Shirtwaist factory. Isaac Harris and Max
aftermath? Blanck were acquitted for manslaughter and were later brought back to
court for civil suits. They eventually settled and paid $75 per death.

Part 4
What were the lessons learned from the fire?
Iroquois Theater Lakeview School Triangle Shirtwaist

In response to the Iroquois
Theater Fire, the fire code was
required to be updated so that
it made laws requiring
mandatory theater upgrades
including outward-opening
doors that remain unlocked,
exit lights, automatic sprinklers,
fire alarm systems, and flame
resistant scenery, props, and
curtains.
Immediate lessons learned: The Triangle Fire not only paved
School boards took inventory of the way for labor and fire safety
their schools and made reform, but it also made the
changes. They looked at government more responsible
construction methods, for ensuring worker's safety in
providing additional fire the workplace on a national
escapes and connecting fire scale.
alarms directly to the fire
department. Some would add
fire sprinklers. In Minnesota
there are no “grandfather
clauses" in the fire code. And
children were taught to use
multiple different escape
routes, not just a singular one in
case it was inoperable.

What are some fire safety
features that you see in
School or other public
buildings that can be
directly traced to the fires in
this presentation?
Connect To Today
- Fire extinguishers
- Fire drills run at least once a year
- All doors opening outwards not inwards
- fire/smoke alarms
- Panic bars on doors
- If there is a fire escape it is much more sturdy and less likely to
break
- More doors and staircases to avoid as much congestion
- No elevators operating during fires