For many years, there were thought to be no photographs left of Josephine Carlisi, one of the many victims of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. But after years of research, a small medallion was found, positively identified, and dated. Unfortunately, over the years, the medallion suffered serious damage, and a lot of work had to be put into restoring the image in preparation for the HBO documentary film "Triangle: Remembering The Fire", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of that tragic event. Particular attention was given to the preservation of the authentic look of the image. Careful reconstruction of the facial features brought back the appearance of a young and beautiful young woman who perished in one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the history of New York City and one of the deadliest in United States history.
Located in a building at 23–29 Washington Place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory occupied the top three floors of the building and employed hundreds of workers, mostly female immigrants from Italy and Russia. At the time, most building and factory managers did not pay attention to the safety codes and regulations that were needed to ensure the safety of the building. The rooms occupied by Triangle Shirtwaist Factory were packed with flammable products hanging from lines above workers' heads and stacked in every available corner. Tissue paper-cutting templates were hung from the ceiling and spread across the rooms. Linen and cotton cuttings littered the floors, and rows of tightly spaced sewing machines and cutting tables made it extremely difficult for the workers to move around.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the factory owners were charged with criminal negligence and faced multiple lawsuits from the victims' families. The public outcry led to the introduction of new building and safety regulations, including mandatory fire drills, regular fire inspections, and the installation of fire hoses, sprinklers, exit signs, and fire alarms. The wide-ranging legislation requiring improved factory safety standards helped the establishment of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union.