STEEP LADDERS AND NARROW PLATFORMS NOT GOOD AS FIRE ESCAPES

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 March 1948, Page 6

STEEP LADDERS AND NARROW PLATFORMS NOT GOOD AS FIRE ESCAPES

Vertical and steep ladders and narrow platforms commonly known as lire escapes were not regarded as a satisfactory means of egress by the building code sectional committee of the Standards Council, said Mr. Lesiie James McDonald, executive officer of the Standards institute recently, when he gave evidence to the Commission inquiring into the fire at Ballantyne’s on November 18. Such so-called, escapes were regarded by the committee and other competent authorities as a source of danger rather than a safety measure.

The code was available to local authorities for adoption at their discretion, said Mr. McDonald. Provisions relating to fire hazards included requirements which afforded effective safeguards against avoidable fire hazards. They included the provision of adequate concrete cover over steel to ensure that in a fire the steel would not be weakened by the heat, while the light timber code required fireresisting brick, stone or concrete wails between occupancies. The residential buildings code required that all buildings should have means oi egress in accordance with the Egress Code. The Egress Code was based' on the fundamental principle that in general, buildings should be so designed that the occupants might, in an emergency, leave by two properly-constructed means of egress remotely separate from each other, free from obstruction, and protected throughout their length by adequately fire-resisting materials. “In commercial and industrial buildings these means of egress must be so placed that on any floor no point is further from safe exit than 125 feet for ordinary occupancies and 75 feet for high hazard occupancies. “The distance 100 feet for residential buildings and there are special requirements for boardinghouses, hotels, hospitals and commercial and industrial premises. The required means of egress are protected passage ways, stairways, horizontal exits, ramps, and similar facilities.”

The committees concerned were agreed that one of the worst hazards was the existence of unprotected verticial openinigs, such as stairways and lift wells, since these greatly accelerated the spread of fire, smoke i and fumes. The Egress Code prohibited all vertical openings in buildings of more than two stories unless they were- adequately protected. Mr. McDonald said the Egress Code had been adopted by 52 cities and boroughs in by-laws, and 22 had its adoption under consideration. Christchurch had not aodpted it. Discussing the application of the code to existing buildings, he said that the code provided that in buildings where existing exits were, in the opinion of the engineer and officer of the local Fire Brigade, inadequate tor the safety of the occupants, exits complying with the by-law, or with written direction by the engineer, should be provided. To Mr. T. P. Cleary, for Ballantynes, he said that the code would require scrapping of many sets of by laws which at present dean only with vertical and externa) fire escapes.

(P A.) Auckland, March 29. After 21 years’ naval service the Rev. G. T. Robson, C.8.E., M.C , senior chaplain to the Royal New Zealand Navy, is to retire from service in May. He will be succeeded as senior chaplain by Archdeacon H. MayeHarris, who is at present chaplain in the training establishment H.M N.Z.S. Tamaki.