Re:NY official: Airbnb stay illegal; host fined $2,400
by robrenaud on Tuesday May 21, 2013 @02:46PM
(#5745852)
Given that deaths by fire in NYC were in a record low in 2012, when AirBNB rentals in NYC were presumably at a record high, maybe the lack of fire regulations aren't actually that big a risk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/03/nyregion/58-fire-deaths-in...
It absolutely matters, and your scenario is a very serious one. Permanent residents know where the fire exits are, and which hallways are dead-ends. Temporary residents may not even be aware which windows open onto a fire escape.