New-York tribune., 1911-04-06
FIRE ESCAPES IN TOWERS
Urged in Report Of the New York
Board of Underwriters.
'ASCH BUILDING DEATH TRAP
Employees Had to Walk Between
Tables the Length of Their
Room to Get Out.

Specific and sweeping recommendations
for more adequate fire protection In fac
tories and ether buildings where large num-
hers Of employees congregate are incorpo-
rated In the report Of the investigation OF
the Asch Building fire made by the New
York Board OF Fire Underwriters. The
report was given out yesterday by F. j. T.
Stewart. superintendent Of the bureau OF
surveys, who had the investigation In
charge.
The report does not concern itself with
determining whether there were any tech
nical violations OF the building laws at the
Asch Building, but strongly recommends
specific and effective means of fire protec-
ton. which were not found to exist In that
building and do not exist in large num-
bers Of factories. The underwriters rec
concentrations would call for new and bet
ter building laws and proper legislation TO
insure their enforcement.
A careful survey of the plan of the lofts
on the three floors where the shirtwaist
ing clearly showed overcrowded conditions,
inadequate exits and a general hazardous
arrangement Of tables and machines in the
event OF fire. On the ninth floor. where the
greatest loss OF life occurred. diagram
Of the loft. incorporated In the report,
shows that there were eight unbrOken rows
or tables. each containing double row Of
sewing machines. with the space between
the tables about four feet wide. containing
two rows of chairs, back to back. for the
operators. The table extended from the
Washington Place front flush to the wall
H. within ten feet Of the north side of the
building. This ten-foot space was filled
partly with tables of stock allowing only
for narrow aisle There were no aisles
through the centre OF the broad loft The
only convenient way for the operators near
the south wall to reach the stairs and ele-
vators was TO walk the entire length Of the
crowded space between the tables to the
north side. and then use the aisles which
extended along the north and west sides.
For a Fireproof Stair Tower.
One OF the strongest features Of the I'M
derwriters' recommendations is for a fire.
proof stair tower built from the ground TO
the roof within the building itself but
with no direct communication with the
building. The tower is to be reached from
a solid floor balcony running across each
story Of the building. No fire or smoke
can get into the tower from the burning
building. Such tower affords the only
safe means of fire escape.
Under the present building laws the stair
ways from floor to floor are supposed to be
inclosed in fireproof walls, but the doors
are allowed to open directly into this shaft,
which soon fills with smoke, and the fire
enters from the floor where it started and
often cuts off the escape Of those on the
floors above. The erection Of outside fire
escapes passing In front Of or near win
dows is to he discOura ged.
In summarizing the investigation Mr..
Stewart says in the report:
This fire by the circumstances attending
its origin. spread and destruction Of life
forcibly illustrates:
First-The prevalent neglect of ordinary
preca autions to avoid the outbreak of fires
due to readily preventible causes.
Seeond-The necessity of adequate facili-
ties, particularly automatic sprinklers, to
extinguish fires in their ncipiency. espe-
cially where the nature of the work done
and materials used may readily cause fires
and rapidly spread them.
Third-The importance of fire towers suit
abe for the prompt escape OF the occu-
pants and likewise to afford the Fire De-
partment a safe station from which to ef-
ficienty fight fires at close range.
Ill