Safety concerns could make NYC’s fire escapes a thing of the past

[x635 4,066]

The outdoor fire escape, a classic piece of New York City architecture, is going extinct thanks to efforts to restore buildings to their original designs and a rethinking of the best way to save people during a fire.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/12/fire-escapes-could-be-a-thing-of-the-past-due-to-safety-concerns/

[kinkchaser 352]

There are many large non fire proof multiple dwellings in our area, built between the world wars, without exterior fire escapes, the trick is getting from your flat to the protected stairway under fire conditions which can get pretty snotty,

Reading the article, is this for safety or beauty.??? On the plus side many fire escapes are being held on to the structure with bolts over a hundred years old and poor up keep of rail, treads and drop ladders make for dangerous situations,

On the other hand they have been our friend, evacuating tenants, searching units, venting ,stretching lines. getting the roof and plain old firefighting so list me as perplexed.

[thebreeze 194]

They are also trying to make basement apartments legal again, it's like they forgot why these things were put in place. Then they will be shocked and horrified and blame the FD when fire fatalities go up.

[FirNaTine 370]

People have also been killed in so called interior fire stairwells. Like Snotty said what happens when occupants open their apt. door and the stairwell is 25 ft away in lights out conditions and heavy heat?

[16fire5 693]

They are also trying to make basement apartments legal again, it's like they forgot why these things were put in place. Then they will be shocked and horrified and blame the FD when fire fatalities go up.

Basement apartments are legal in most municipalities and by most codes as long as they have and exterior exit and proper size windows. Cellar apartments not legal in any case to my knowledge.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Anyone know the extent of the actual Code requirements to discontinue the fire escapes? As noted common hallways are often contaminated when the door to the fire apartment is left open. I'd be surprised to see the exterior fire escape removed from a non-sprinklered building. Rated corridors with rated self-closing doors? Must be something besides a remote second means of egress? Two separated corridors to two or more separate stairways?

[Dinosaur 844]

Anyone know the extent of the actual Code requirements to discontinue the fire escapes? As noted common hallways are often contaminated when the door to the fire apartment is left open. I'd be surprised to see the exterior fire escape removed from a non-sprinklered building. Rated corridors with rated self-closing doors? Must be something besides a remote second means of egress? Two separated corridors to two or more separate stairways?

And don't forget that most interior stairways also become "junk yards" drug dens and garbage cans.

[antiquefirelt 994]

And don't forget that most interior stairways also become "junk yards" drug dens and garbage cans.

Yeah, I suspect that's a realistic issue in NYC, not so bad here in smalltownUSA, atleast not in buildings where anyone is putting in money to make things better. The older buildings, which these will eventually become, certainly have these conditions.