External escape stairs

[lyledunn]

One of the caveats in ADB to providing external escape stairs is that there is an internal ?escape stair? from every part
of each storey. So could an unprotected accommodation stair be considered as an ?escape stair??

[AnthonyB]

Some would probably say no, others may say that if the unprotected stair meets the limited situations in relation to premises size, travel distance and location to be allowable in it's own right then it may be OK

[colin todd]

Tate &Lyle, Tony's caveat is really important and you would need to be very cautious. There is a well-known fire multi-fatal in which there were no internal protected staircases (just accommodation type), so really technically MoE was all external, which would not be the most like route for people to follow.

[AnthonyB]

Was it the Rose & Crown or another one?


https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/learning-from-history-5-rose-crown-1969-anthony-buck/

[colin todd]

Penhallow Hotel

[AnthonyB]

Of course! Thanks for the memory jog, I was going too far back to the classic sets of fires that influenced fire safety. Penhallow seems generally forgotten about compared to Eastwood Mill, Henderspns, Rose & Crown, Summerland, Stardust & Bradford (& now of course Grenfell).

Several controversies with the site, enforcement and FRS response from memory, I need to find the time to dig out enough verified info to do a review article - the fact most of the famous multi fatality UK fires were last century can lead to complacency!

[wee brian]

Four Seasons Hotel in Aviemore circa 70 years ago - I think some people couldn't escape because snow had blocked an external escape route. I've never seen the reports so this is all second/third hand.

[AnthonyB]

All I could find on the 1950 fire was this:
https://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/it-was-70-years-ago-today-that-aviemore-changed-forever-213437/

There were far more results on the fatal fire on the replacement built on the site of the old hotel which revealed fire safety issues:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12538436.top-industrialist-dies-in-hotel-fire-top-industrialist-dies-in-fire-at-highland-hotel/
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12127189.sheriff-criticises-management-over-inadequacies-blaze-deaths-at-hotel-avoidable/