[1] While the Joelma Building is a reinforced fire-resistant concrete hull construction, its interior was furnished with flammable items.

An air conditioning unit on the twelfth floor, which started the fire, needed a special type of circuit breaker, which was unavailable at the time it was installed.

[citation needed] Initial efforts led to the successful evacuation of some 300 employees before the heat and smoke became too overwhelming.

A helicopter rescue was attempted but the heat, smoke and inadequate landing space prevented them from reaching the roof until well after the fire had burned out at 3 p.m.

[citation needed] Despite the best efforts of rescue personnel and witnesses, who shouted and created signs encouraging people to remain calm, 40 individuals jumped to escape the conditions inside and in failed attempts to grasp unreachable fire ladders.

Thirteen people who tried to escape using one of the elevators died of smoke inhalation and their bodies were burnt by the fire; they were never identified and are buried in anonymous graves at the Vila Alpina Cemetery.

[6] Regulation 10 was rescinded in 2014 after petitioning by the builders of the 73-story Wilshire Grand Center, who designed a reinforced concrete central core into the building.

In 2013, newspaper Folha de S. Paulo asked a fire safety specialist to inspect both the Joelma and Andraus buildings.