Bangunan ituini adalahialah [[rowhouserumah teras|rumah petak]] tiga lantai yang telah dipecahdibagi menjadi dua apartemen dan dioperasikandijalankan oleh [[Philadelphia Housing Authority]]. ItuBangunan ini memiliki satusebuah alat pemadam kebakaran di pintu masuk bersama di lantai pertama;, namuntetapi karena baik kodepedoman bangunan kota maupun kebijakan PHA tidak memerlukan tindakan tambahan untuk unit sewaan sebesar itu, pada awalnya tidak ada tindakan keamanan lainnya. Bangunan itu tidak memiliki alat pemadam kebakaran tambahan, alat penyiram, tangga darurat, atau detektor asap anti kerusakan yang disediakan di persewaan.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=OrsoSchmidt|first=Ryan W. Briggs , Sean Collins Walsh and AnnaSophia|last2=Pulcinella|first2=Maria|date=January 76, 2022|title=ApartmentFairmount wherehouse 12that peoplecaught diedfire inlacked firesafety didfixes notfound havein extinguisher,newer recordsPHA showproperties|url=https://wwwwhyy.inquirer.comorg/newsarticles/philadelphiaa-firematter-of-life-and-death-fairmount-nohouse-extinguisherthat-phacaught-recordsfire-20220107.htmllacked-safety-fixes-found-in-newer-pha-properties/|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-1012|website=The Philadelphia InquirerWHYY|language=en-US}}</ref> PHA hadtelah installedmemasang fourempat smokedetektor detectorsasap indi thedupleks duplexpada intahun 2019 anddan adua additionaltambahan twopada intahun 2020.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=SchmidtOrso|first=Sophia|last2=Pulcinella|first2=MariaRyan W. Briggs , Sean Collins Walsh and Anna|date=January 67, 2022|title=FairmountApartment housewhere that12 caughtpeople firedied lackedin safetyfire fixesdid foundnot inhave newerextinguisher, PHArecords propertiesshow|url=https://whyywww.inquirer.orgcom/articlesnews/aphiladelphia-matter-of-life-and-deathfire-fairmount-houseno-thatextinguisher-caughtpha-firerecords-lacked-safety-fixes-found-in-newer-pha-properties/20220107.html|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-1210|website=WHYYThe Philadelphia Inquirer|language=en-US}}</ref> TheUnit unitsdiperiksa wereoleh inspectedPHA bysecara theterpisah PHApada separately inbulan April anddan May ofMei 2021 anddan bothkeduanya wereditemukan foundmemiliki todetektor haveasap workingyang smokeberfungsi detectorspada atsaat that timeitu.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Thornton|first=Ryan W. Miller, James McGinnis, Damon C. Williams and Claire|title='This horrific time': Family waits for answers, mourns victims of deadly Philadelphia fire|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/01/06/fairmount-fire-philadelphia-deaths-what-we-know/9114168002/|access-date=2022-01-10|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref>
ThereSedikitnya wereada at26 leastorang twenty-sixyang peopletinggal livingdi indupleks thedengan duplexdelapan withbelas eighteentinggal livingdi inbagian thedepan frontlantai sectiondua ofdan theseluruh secondlantai floor and the entire third floortiga. Eight others livedDelapan inorang thelainnya firsttinggal floordi andlantai rearpertama halfdan ofbagian thebelakang secondlantai floordua.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Stamm|first=Dan|date=January 6, 2022|title=8 Kids Among 12 Dead in Philly Fire; Christmas Tree Investigated in Blaze|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/deadly-house-fire/3097455/|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-10|website=[[WCAU]]|language=en-US}}</ref>
