Philadelphia Housing Authority Sued Over Deadly 2022 Fire

The lawsuit alleges the agency violated victims' rights by allowing overcrowding and neglecting to fix inoperable smoke detectors.

Family members of the victims of a deadly fire in Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood in 2022 have filed a lawsuit against the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), alleging that the agency violated the victims' constitutional rights by allowing overcrowding and neglecting to fix inoperable smoke detectors.
The fire, which killed 12 people, including three sisters and their nine children, was one of the city's deadliest in decades. It began after a 5-year-old boy playing with a lighter accidentally ignited a Christmas tree on the home's second floor.
The lawsuit alleges that PHA was aware that more than eight people were living in the 1,600-square-foot unit, surpassing federal occupancy standards, but did not move the 14-member family to a larger home, despite their repeated requests.
The lawsuit also alleges that inoperable smoke detectors were a persistent issue in the unit for years. In the weeks leading up to the fatal fire, PHA representatives visited the property at least three times, falsely reporting that the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were functioning.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages as well as an order that all of city’s public housing units be inspected and tested to ensure there are working smoke detectors. A separate, negligence lawsuit regarding the fire was filed in March in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.