What is believed to have caused the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory?

• A. A faulty electrical wiring
• B. An unextinguished cigarette or match
• C. Spontaneous combustion
• D. A gas leak

Answer: (B)

The belief that an unextinguished cigarette or match led to the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory primarily stems from witness accounts and historical research. The factory's location and environment were conducive to a fire that could spread rapidly, and it is widely accepted that the fire began on the eighth floor, where a large amount of fabric and other flammable materials were stored.

This scenario of an unextinguished cigarette or match igniting the materials aligns with the common practices of the time where smoking was prevalent, and safety measures concerning disposal of smoking materials were often ignored. Additionally, reports indicated that the factory was poorly ventilated and cluttered, which would have exacerbated any fire that started.

The context of factory conditions, labor practices, and safety regulations of the era all contribute to the belief that careless smoking was a plausible cause of such a catastrophic fire, leading to the tragic loss of lives in this incident.