Black Migrant Workers Die in Substandard Housing Fire

Background: The following article appeared in the Los Angeles Tribune, an African American newspaper published by Civil Rights activist Almena Lomax. The article describes a deadly fire that killed almost thirty young Black migrants, illustrating the precarious “fire traps” that many African American shipyard workers were forced to live in.

MIGRANT WORKERS DIE IN PROJECT FIRE

There are many dead, all of them young Negro migrants mostly in their teens, in the disastrous dormitory fire in Richmond, Calif. [on] Monday. Most of the dead burned beyond recognition, it is estimated that the number, when finally determined, will reach 25 or 30. The dormitory, for shipyard workers at the Kaiser Shipyard No. 2, housed 60.

The fire was discovered last Monday at about 2:30 a.m. . . . when the fire dept. arrived, the dormitory was a blazing inferno with both stairways, the only means of escape for occupants on the second floor, blocked by fire.

Cause of the fire was not determined at press time, but it is believed to have started from burning oil flooding the heaters or possibly the explosion of a furnace in the dormitory.

Fire Chief William Cooper has declared that all of the housing projects, emergency apartments and dormitories here are fire traps and of faulty construction. He said he had fought the building of them, but the Government and the Maritime Commission refused to heed his protest.

Authorities state that loss of life would have run even higher had not the men been working on staggered shifts.

Source: Los Angeles Tribune, January 17, 1944.