Two recent fires in public housing in the US, leaving 29 dead lead to calls for reform in fire safety regulations and funding.17 people died in the Twin Parks North West public housing building, in the Bronx, New York on 13th January, all killed by smoke because automatic fire doors failed to close. The failures of the fire doors had been repeatedly flagged by inspectors over recent years. 12 people died on 5th January in Fairmont in a building managed by Philadelphia Housing Authority. In this case, the victims were all in one duplex flat, which housed 14, whereas according to standards it should only have housed 8. Also, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in the flat appear to have been non-operational. Philadelphia’s chief firefighter called the fire deaths the result of a broken system. These two fire catastrophes in public housing for low-income families are leading to calls for fire safety obligations for housing receiving federal subsidies, including heat sensors and automatic shutoff systems on space heaters, hard-wired (not battery) smoke alarms, self-closing doors and stronger inspection requirements
See also pinfa Newsletter n°133
Archinect “America’s Public Housing is Burning, Fueled by Cold Indifference”, 9 March 2022 https://archinect.com/features/article/150299164/america-s-public-housing-is-burning-fueled-by-cold-indifference and “Lawmakers are pushing for change in the wake of last month’s deadly Twin Parks Fire as residents look to rebuild”, 10 February 2022 https://archinect.com/news/article/150298256/lawmakers-are-pushing-for-change-in-the-wake-of-last-month-s-deadly-twin-parks-fire-as-residents-look-to-rebuild#CommentsAnchor
Governing.com “Recent Public Housing Fires Are a Wake-Up Call for Reform”, 24th January 2022 https://www.governing.com/now/recent-public-housing-fires-are-a-wake-up-call-for-reform