The piece was inspired by the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire , which claimed the lives of 146 New York City garment workers — most of whom were young immigrant women — in 1911 , and the political unrest surrounding it . The title of the piece comes from a quote by the labor activist Clara Lemlich , who later reflected on her years of activism saying , “ Ah , then I had fire in my mouth . ” Wolfe utilized a number of unconventional sounds in '' Fire in my mouth '' . The composer toured New York City 's Garment District and other locations in search of a specific-sounding pair of scissors , which would later be used in performance by the women 's choir as a prop and percussion instrument , before setting on a pair of 12-inch shears made by Wiss . The women 's choir The Crossing rehearsed in Philadelphia during the weeks leading up to the premiere . The orchestra used other extended techniques to imitate the sounds of sewing machines and fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire
Fire in my mouth