Which Tenement Act required fire escapes and windows in each room?

• A. Tenement House Act of 1867
• B. Tenement House Act of 1879
• C. Tenement House Act of 1901
• D. Tenement Reform Act of 1880

Answer: (A)

This item tests the early effort to improve safety and livability in crowded urban housing by setting concrete requirements for light, ventilation, and safe egress. The Tenement House Act of 1867 was the first major reform that required essential safety features in tenements: each room had to have a window opening to the outside (or to a light court) to ensure daylight and air, and there had to be an exterior fire escape to provide a safe exit in case of fire. This combination established the foundational standard that spaces must get light and air and that occupants have a viable way to evacuate during emergencies. Later reforms expanded on these ideas, adding more provisions for ventilation, bathrooms, and fireproofing, but the 1867 act is the one that first codified both windows in every room and fire escapes.