R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-28.5-1
The authority having jurisdiction is hereby authorized and empowered to inspect at any reasonable hour all buildings, structures, or other places, except buildings used wholly as dwelling houses, where any combustible material, that is or may become dangerous as a fire menace to the buildings, structures, or other places, has been allowed to accumulate, or where the authority having jurisdiction has reason to believe that the material of a combustible nature has accumulated, or is liable to accumulate, provided, that any building constructed so as to be occupied as dwellings in more than one apartment, reached by common stairs, hallways, entries, or corridors, or shall be so constructed as to be occupied in part for a dwelling or dwellings, and in part for business purposes, the stairs, hallways, entries and corridors, basement, storage areas, boiler rooms, and laundry rooms thereof used in common, shall be subject to inspection in the daytime as is provided above, and the occupant or occupants thereof shall be subject to the same duties and liabilities as are provided in the Fire Safety Code, and shall likewise be subject to the provisions of § 23-28.5-3.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-28.5-1