The Washington herald., 1908-04-29
wooden Stairvays Only Means of
Exit from Many Buildings, and
Great Danger WOEid Abandon
Twelve Buildings So Far Inspected

! The report was the result OF Senator
/ lCulbersOn's resolution. offered shortly
after the Collinwood school horror, and
adopted by the Senate. demanding rigid
investigation Of the conditions OF the
Washington schools with regard to fire
/ protection. The most important part OF
the report Is a letter from Fire Chief
Belt to Senator Burkett. briefly sketching
the results Of his investigation Of ninety
eight District school buildings.
Twelve of these buildings. the chief
states, are in such danger of fire and so
/ improperly constructed as TO menace the
/ lives Of the pupils, and he has recon-
mended that they be abandoned. Wooden
stairways. rubbish-fined Easements. in
adequate exists and many other defects
are shown 10 exist In many local schools.
Fire Chief Is Investigating.
Senator Burkett's report states that In
pursuance Of the Culberson resolution
communications We're directed to the Dis
trict Commissioners. the president Of the
school board, the superintendent OF
schools and the chief of the fire depart
ment, as "a result OF which the committee
is informed that the chief is making a
thorough investigation and has completed
a systematic examination OF about half OF
the buildings used for school purposes In
the District. His reports and recommen-
dations as result OF this investigation
have been forwarded to the board Of ed
ucati0n by the Commissioners, and some
action has already been taken toward
carrying out his recommendations.
The report adds that s26l. 600 was IN
corporated in the District appropriation
bill, passed yesterday providing for
structural changes in schools, as recon-
mended by the chief. in order TO make
them safe from FIRE and the committee
asked 70 be discharged from further con-
sideration Of the CuIberson resolution.
In his letter 20 Senator Burkett, the
chief states that he has inspected ninety
eight schools and has made reports upon
them. Experience" he says, has
demonstrated to me that the most dan
gerous points I'm any building in the
event Of fire are the Easements and stair
ways and especially is this the case with
regard 20 school buildings"
should Keep Easement Clear.
Nothing inhammable. the chief adds,
should be kept in the Easements or in
proximity to the stairways. Both should
be as nearly 1reproof as possible Not
withstanding these facts, Chief Belt says
that in his Investigations he often finds
the stairways exposed 10 fire and the
Easements Cluttered with all sorts OF in
fiammable material
Fire drills were held in many Of the
schools which he inspected. and In ap-
T17-r faGr all 10
congestion at the exits He recommends
that each room on the first floor of a
school should have an exit 10 the street,
so that the stairways and the regular
exits would remain available for the
pupils from the upper floors in case OF
fire, thus avoiding in a large degree the
danger Of congestion. He would have a
window in each ground-foor room Of ex-
listing schols cut down so as TO be avail
able as an exit
Electric IRE alarms. he says should be
installed In all schools with striking sta
tions on each floor. There was no uni
fOrmity. he declares. In the fre-drill
signals which came under his observation,
this condition necessarily leading 10 mis-
understanding and confusion on the part
Of the pupils Chief Belt adds that when
he has completed his inspection Of the re-
naming schools he will himself outline a
system Of fire drills for the schools which
will be more practical and efficient than
that now in use.
Many wooden stairways.
A great many wooden stairways, and
exposed woodwork, was found in the
schools which the chief inspected. ex-
posed woodwork being especially common
in the Easements. This, he says, is an
extremely dangerous condition. with
incredible rapidity," he says, fire would
consume these stairways, and smoke and
gases would prevent the use Of the exits
He recommends tearing out all wooden
stairways and replacing them with iron
or otherwise freproof stairs.
The fire escapes now installed in the
schools which he inspected. Mr. Belt re-
ports, are entirely inadequate. and so de-
signed as 10 be practically useless" The
majority Of them are Of the vertical lad
Ger type" and would be dangerous for
trained fremen. TO say nothing OF women
and children" He would tear them all
away, and put in others suited for the
purpose which they are intended 10 serve
The platforms, he declares. should be at
least eighteen inches wider than the es-
cape used for ordinary buildings. and the
ladders easy Of ascent and descent. The
windows leading onto the fire escape plat
forms should be cut down TO serve as
doors.
Heating Plant a Menace.
I'm one instance. in a comparatively
new school building" says Chief Belt,
1T was found that the upper portion of
the heating plant had fallen in. leaving
an opening. Had it not been for the
fact that the ceiling over this plant was
made fireproof, a serious fire might have
resulted" As a result OF this instance
he recommends that all school heating
plants be examined by experts in the con-
struction and installation of such plants
before the opening of each school year.
Tn twelve schools, structural and other
conditions We're SUCH" the chief reports,
'as 10 force me to recommend that their
use for school purposes be discontinued.
/ deem II proper TO state, however" he
adds that the great majority of the re-
naming buildings can be made safe with |
out extraordinary expense"
AS an example of the conditions which |
his investigation unearthed, Chief Belt |
gives the result Of his inspection of the |
Miner School at Seventeenth and Church |
streets northwest. He adds that II the |
Senate committee desires further detailed |
information he viii be glad to furnish it, |
Miner schOOI an Example.
The Miner School. he reports, is a |
three-story, brick structure, not owned |
by the District government, but rented. |
It contains ten class rooms and an as
sembly hail. To enable the pupils ac-
IN this building to escape |
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