The external cladding of houses blocking window frames in!

[Donna]

I just realised (when needing to re-arrange whole ground floor layout, due to extention) that a few years ago my large corner suite had to come in through the window, as the understairs archway was far too small and that we will obviously have to do the same to get it out,
It dawned on us that our house, being pre-war and having no cavity, since this, has had cladding applied to the outside, ( the process was steel anchorage frames placed around all outside window frames, on the corners of the house etc, for the "insulation product" to be drilled to wall and frame, ready for the false pebbledash to be plastered on)
This in itself poses no problems, but for the fact that the upvc widow frames are now built-in and cannot be removed like the easy peasy way we did it some years earlier!

But what I would like to ask, on a fire safety issue, do fire persons often come across a scenario where they would need the windows to come out completely?

These ones are incased in steel frames now, which visibly cover up the white, previously visible upvc frames, and no way, (without major structural intervention) will they now come out.
Any views please?

[kurnal]

Not the frame Donna- just the glass.
Firefighters may wish to open windows to rescue someone, to gain entry , to ventilate a fire or to attack the fire. Just the glass will do- though for resues an opening casement is ideal  especially if about 850x450 mm. Building regs talk about openings of at least 525x525 if a window is required for escape purposes for a floor up to 4.5m above the ground, slightly ditfferent rules apply to escape windows from loft conversions.

[afterburner]

In complete agreement with Kurnal, if the needs are for fire attack or ventialtion, fire crews will normally go through the quickest and easiest route which is the glass. (Assuming the window does not have a opening mechanism). However, experience has shown that breaking open double or triple glazed windows which are not already weakened by the fire can be a problem.
Another slight thought that comes from your description is whether cavity barriers are in place or should be in place above your pvc window frames and within the newly created cavity?

[Donna]

Thanks for both of the above comments,
The main window in question has an overall frame size of 140cm wide x 110 high, within this 3 actual double glazed sealed glass "panes"
1st glass pane, 30cm wide x 100cm high, this is an opening window.
2nd glass pane is not opening, but is 40cm x 100cm
3rd glass pane, same as 1st, an opening window ,30cm x 100cm

There is NO cavity whatsoever, the house was original 9inch red brick, with a pebbledash finish (that has been painted god knows how many times over the years) then they put this 7.5cm thick, compressed fibreglass type insulation on, called "vensil resil" (or something like that)!, it comes in 180cm by 90cm by 7.5cm slabs, and is drilled straight onto the original painted pebbledash, leaving no gaps, and then it is plastered with something called "alumask" and then while still "sticky",  some guys obliterated the house by throwing  tiny marble/granite/stone chips, at the wall (making as much mess as possible ha)
My beady eyes watched the whole process, and I didnt notice any gaps or cavities above the windows at all! they just stuck some false looking buff bricks at the top of the window to make it look nice! (cough cough)

But Im pleased its not a big fire safety issue, its just made the problem of moving my large 12ft leather corner settee an impossible task!