bsnsHistory

Dec 30, 1903: When the Curtain Caught Fire and Business Finally Faced Consequences

bsnsBasics Season 1 Episode 25364

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For years, businesses assumed safety failures were unfortunate accidents rather than liabilities.

On December 30, 1903, a fire tore through Chicago’s Iroquois Theatre during a packed matinee, killing more than 600 people. The disaster exposed negligence, corruption, and cost cutting that had been ignored, triggering the first major wave of modern safety regulation. What followed reshaped how companies accounted for risk, compliance, and responsibility to the public.

From bsnsHistory, the daily podcast about the moments when business quietly reshaped the world.

Written and hosted by Ron Trucks. Research and editing by Rodney Russ. Sound design by Angela Cahoy. Music by Cody Martin and Soundstripe.

For more daily business stories, visit www.bsnsDAILYpodcasts.com.

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