Evening star., 1924-08-03
FIRE ESCAPE BAN / |
CONSIDERED HERE
Closed Towers Would Be
Substituted on All Large
Buildings.
PROVISION IN NEW CeDE
Commissioners Will Be Asked td
Adopt Recommendation of
Committee.
PROVISION IN NEW CeDE

Closed fire towers would be re-
CURED instead Of the present type
open fire escape on all future apart.
ments and other large structures
erected in Washington if the Com
missioners adopt a provision TO be
recommended by the committee en-
gagged in revising the building code.
According to Building Inspector
John Oehmann, the fire tower wocld
consist of a fireproof stairway on the
exterior of the building, but incIosed
by brick walls. II would be entered
by automatic-closing fire doors on
each floor.
Inspector Oehmann gave the first
intimation of this recommendation
last night in discussing the report
submitted to Commissioner Oyster
Friday by Fire Chief Watson on the
subject of needed improvements in
fire escape requirements.
The rewriting of the building code
to bring it's hundreds of sections up
to date, has been in progress for
more than a year and the revised
copy is now practically ready for
sub mission to the Commissioners for
consideration They will go over tha
recommendation carefully before act
ing.
Report of Fire Chief.
In his fire-escape report Chief Wat
SON said there were many apartment
houses in which the Railways do not
extend the full length of the build
ing, which makes it necessary TO pass
through some individuals apartment
at the end of the hall to reach the
fire escape.
Building Inspector Oehmann stated
last night that he agrees with the
fire chief in opposing such an ar
rangement and added that no such
plans have been approved since he
took charge of the office.
The fire chief also dealt with the
use of wooden porches and stairways
on the rear Of some buildings as fire
escapes; Ensineer CommissIonsr
Bell, who now has WatSOn's report
spector on the fire escape situation.
AS result of the recent blaze in
the Bruen Home For Children, 355j
Eleventh street, Chief Watson made a
separate report to the Commissioners,
in which he urged that steps be taken
to require all hospitals, orphan
asylums and similar institutions that
are not in modern fire-proof buildings
to obtain ain such quarters within
that from three to five years beb al
lowed an institution that would have
to build or move to a new structure.
Not Strictly Fireproof.
In further discussing his report yes
terday, Chief Watson said that, while
many of the institutions referred 10
are in brick buildings they are not
regarded by the fire department as of
ffrst-class fireproof construction,
because the floors and inner parti-
tions are of infiamable material.
Because it involves building prob
lens, Chief Watson's report has been
turned over to Engineer Commis-
sioner Bell by Commissioner oyster.
Maj Bell has not had an opportunity
to consider the question, but will do
so in a few days.
The fire chief did not deal with
specific instances in his memorandum
and for that reason the first step of
the Commissioners probably will be
to find out exactly what conditions
the various institutions are in with
respect to fireproofng.
Chief Watson said that one way of
carrying out his recommendations
would be for the Commissioners to
require institutions housing children,
invalids or sick persons to obtain
permits to operate from the Commits
sioners. In this way, he explained,
the city heads could make f1reproof-
ing a requirement incident to the is-
suance of permit. In any event, tha
chief believes, a period of years
would have to be allowed in which
to make extensive changes in the
buildings.