Joseph Zito (elevator operator)

Joseph A. Zito (September 1, 1883 – October 22, 1932) was an Italian-American elevator operator who saved over 100 lives during the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire on March 25, 1911.^[1][2]

Joseph A. Zito
Born	(1883-09-01)September 1, 1883 Serre, Campania, Italy
Died	October 22, 1932(1932-10-22) (aged 49) Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Elevator operator
Known for	Saving over 100 lives in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire

Triangle Fire heroism

During the fire at the Triangle Waist Company in Manhattan, Zito made between eight and twenty elevator trips through smoke and flames, evacuating workers from the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors.^[3][4] He continued operating until fire engulfed the elevator shaft, sustaining severe burns and stab wounds from scissors held by panicked workers trying to board.^[5]

District Attorney Charles Whitman, who interviewed Zito at the scene, stated: "He is a hero, every inch of him."^[6]

Legacy

Zito's injuries left him with lifelong health problems. He died penniless at age 49, having refused bribes during the fire investigation.^[7] In 2017, his hometown of Serre, Italy, named a street "Vicolo Giuseppe Zito" in his honor.^[8]