Authors say that, in the United States, 99% of fire deaths occur in buildings without sprinklers, making that the key component of a safe building over multiple exits.
Article doesn’t mention that but it does mention that the vast majority of deaths come from buildings without sprinklers, most likely buildings built before a lot of modern building code.
Sprinklers + properly fitted fire doors are probably good enough for such small buildings to provide both suppression and spread prevention.
This is a NY state criminal trial, the president can only pardon federal crimes. Doesn’t mean shenanigans can’t happen but it’s unlikely to go away the moment Trump gets into office.