A young woman who was forced to jump from a burning building in Sydney's west is suing her landlord and body corporate in the Supreme Court, alleging her apartment had an increased risk of fire because it did not have sprinklers installed and was modified without council approval.

Yinou "Ginger" Jiang and her friend Pingkang "Connie" Zhang were inside a fifth-floor apartment at the West Terrace development in Bankstown on September 6, 2012, when a fire started on the balcony and quickly spread inside.

Yinou "Ginger" Jiang and Pingkang "Connie" Zhang cling to the side of their apartment building before being forced to jump. Credit:ABC News 24

The pair became trapped in a bedroom and climbed onto the narrow window ledge outside, but the fire's heat was so unbearable they were forced to jump.

Ms Zhang – a promising pharmacy and nursing student – died, while Ms Jiang survived with "severe injuries" to her legs that require her to use a wheelchair.