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> Do new building codes account for this?

Yes. Survivability to fire is explicitly listed as a requirement, and different classes of buildings have strict requirements on survivability (i.e., how long a structure must remain safe while subjected to a fire).

> I would expect a house built today to be much safer (...)

It is, but there are nuances. For example, modern houses have additional requirements on energy efficiency, which mean thermal insulation. Elements used in thermal insulation applications are regulated, but it turned out that some assumptions regarding flammability ended up not being met under some circumstances. Consequently, we've started to see a few incidents such as the Grendell tower fire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grenfell_Tower_fire

Another event was the much recent fire in a Spanish residential complex.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Valencia_residential_comp...



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