Fire Exit Requirements in Residential Buildings

A fire escape is usually outside of a building or occasionally inside but unrelated to the main areas of the building. It provides a flight method in a fire or other emergency that makes the stairwells inside a building inaccessible. They are an essential aspect of fire safety for all new construction in urban areas. The architect of the project will be accountable for making facilities for fire protection and fire-fighting measure. As for that, they should consult an expert in this field. The Chief Fire Officer should insist on suitable conditions in the building from fire safety and means of escape point depending on the occupancy, height or on account of new developments creating a particular fire hazard, in addition to the provision of these building byelaws and Fire Protection of National Building Code of India.

Primary reasons behind the residential fire cases:

1. Cooking

Cooking fires are the leading cause of fires by far, accounting for forty-eight per cent of all residential fires. Cooking is also the leading cause of fire injuries and the second-leading cause of fire deaths, as given in the National Fire Protection Association’s Home Structure Fires 2019 Report.

Kitchen fires, the leading cause of home fires, usually are only seriously ignited by grease fires. When the cooking oil becomes too hot, exceeding 375 degrees Fahrenheit, it will start smoking and then burst into flames.

2. Heating

Heaters are the second-leading cause of fires and fire injuries. They cause so many fires because many owners don’t respect the spatial requirements of these items. Heaters have specific instructions on the box to let the owners know how close they can to other entities, furniture, or walls.

Leaving a heater next to a stack of clothes can result in igniting the flammable object, piece of furniture, or wall. If the wall catches fire, you should evacuate as soon as possible. Do not risk your life.

3. Electrical Fires

Fires caused by defective electrical outlets or faulty wiring for a large count of household fires. Electrical fires account for more than fifty-one thousand house fires and over five hundred deaths per year, as stated by the Electrical Safety Foundation International.

To avoid potential accidents and problems resulting in an electrical fire, have your home checked before the purchase. Plus, schedule regular inspections to ensure your electrical system and lighting fixtures are safe. Ensure that all fire alarms are changed every decade and that batteries are promptly replaced.

4. Smoking

Smoking cigarettes and cigars are the leading cause of deaths in home fires, although they only account for five per cent of all home fires. Smoking materials lit inside are small and easy to forget. And while several people use smoking as a relaxing activity, there is a possibility of falling asleep while smoking, leaving the smoking material to drop on the floor to catch carpet or other flammable materials on fire.

5. Candles

Candles account for three per cent of all home fire deaths. One-third of all fires started by candles are in the bedroom. Twenty-one fires are reported per day, causing six per cent of home fire injuries.

A candle should never be left alone and should permanently be extinguished before leaving the room. Owners should consider other options like battery-operated flashlights instead of emergency candles and remember always to keep all flammable materials at least twelve inches away from candles.

Let’s understand how we can keep our buildings and residents safe during uncontrolled fire outbreaks.

Fire Exit requirements in Residential Buildings:

Every residential building should have a 6 metre wide means of access. The compulsory open space in the building must not be used for parking purposes. There are more critical factors to consider while building the fire exit in residential buildings.

• Capacity of exits

A specific floor must be evacuated in 1.5 to 2.5 minutes, depending on the type of construction. The unit width for the capacity of exit should be taken as 50 cm. The number of people for other occupancies at or near the same levels and the number per unit exit width for other occupancies also given and horizontal exits provided in certain occupancies. A flat exit arrangement allows different egress from one floor to a different bottom in an adjoining part of the same building.

• Number of exits

Every doorway should open into the corridor that further leads into an enclosed staircase.

All buildings should have a minimum of two exits in the form of enclosed staircases. Exit doorways open outwards, i.e., away from the room but should not obstruct the walk along the corridor except where there is a central corridor when the door can open inwards and exit doors shall not open onto a staircase. Exit doorways should be openable without a key. Do not place the mirror in the path of the exits.

• Internal staircase

A staircase not arranged around a lift shaft. There should be no gas piping on the stairs, and the minimum headroom should not be less than 2.2 metres. The main staircase and internal staircase shall be continuous from the ground to the terrace.

• Travel Distance

The distance from any point to the last exit should not be less than 22.5 m for residency. For others, it should not be less than 30m. When more than one exit is required, they shall be as remote as possible in opposite directions.

• External staircase.

The entrance to the external staircase should be remote from the internal one. Exit signs and the floors should always be illuminated with independent electric supply or other means. These requirements apply to all occupancies. Additional requirements for individual occupancies are also specified. For the safety of the public and the occupants, the architect must provide for all the exits as commanded, and the fire services check these points before construction starts.

Every building should compulsorily have a fire safety plan. This plan should include the action taken by the occupants in case of a fire and should also have telephone numbers for all the emergency services. This plan must be handed out to every person in the building and shown on each floor. Also, one of the people living there should be made a fire safety checker. They must conduct evacuation drills regularly. The NBC also gives a sample fire safety format, including the fire safety director, deputy fire safety director, fire wards, deputy fire wardens, and building evacuation manager. The plan should mention the frequency of fire drills, how were they conducted, and who participated.