Section 103. Egress from apartments

1. a. Except as provided in paragraph
  b of this subdivision, there shall be at least one means of egress  from
  each  apartment  on each and every story of such apartment, and a second
  means of egress if the first means is not within  fifty  feet  of  every
  living  room  in  such apartment on such story. When two means of egress
  are required, they shall open from different rooms.
    b. In any class A fireproof dwelling or section thereof erected  under
  plans  filed  in  the department after September first, nineteen hundred
  fifty-one, an apartment occupying parts of not  more  than  two  stories
  shall  have  at least one means of egress. Such required means of egress
  shall be not more than forty feet from any room  within  such  apartment
  and  shall  open  directly  upon  a  public hall. Such public hall shall
  provide access  to  at  least  two  fire-stairs.  Any  stair  within  an
  apartment  shall be at least two feet six inches in width and a terminus
  shall be not more than twenty feet from  the  door  which  provides  the
  required  egress  to  a  public hall, provided, however, that such stair
  within an apartment shall extend downwards or upwards to the story which
  provides the required access to at least two fire-stairs.  In the  event
  of  but  one such means of egress, and if the stair within the apartment
  extends downwards to provide egress to a public hall, there shall  be  a
  balcony  upon  the upper story of the apartment. If, however, such stair
  extends upwards to provide egress to a public hall, the balcony shall be
  located on the lower story of the apartment.  Such balcony shall provide
  access from the apartment to a room of an  adjoining  apartment  on  the
  same  story. Such balcony shall be constructed of incombustible material
  and be capable of sustaining a load of at least eighty pounds per square
  foot. Access to such balcony shall not be obstructed by sinks or kitchen
  fixtures or in any other way, and shall be  maintained  unobstructed  at
  all  times.  Bars,  gates,  grilles  or other obstructing devices on any
  window or door giving access to or egress from  such  balcony  shall  be
  unlawful.
    2.   Except   as  otherwise  expressly  provided  in  paragraph  b  of
  subdivision six of section one hundred two  for  certain  dwellings  six
  stories  or  less  in  height,  at  least one fire-stair shall be within
  seventy-five feet of at least one means of egress from each apartment on
  each story thereof.
    3. When any such fire-stair serving any apartment as a required  means
  of  egress from the dwelling opens on the entrance story of the dwelling
  exclusively into an entrance hall, no other fire-stair serving the  same
  apartment  as a required means of egress from the dwelling shall open on
  such story  exclusively  into  the  same  entrance  hall.  Any  required
  fire-stair  not  opening on such story exclusively into an entrance hall
  shall open on a street or in  a  yard,  court  or  passageway  affording
  continuous,  safe  and  unobstructed  access  to  a street; but any such
  required fire-stair serving any apartment as a means of egress from  the
  dwelling  may  have a supplementary entrance into the same entrance hall
  as that into which any other fire-stair serving the same apartment as  a
  required means of egress from the dwelling opens exclusively.
    4.  When any apartment occupies parts or all of three or more stories,
  every stair within such apartment leading to the  third  or  any  higher
  story of such apartment shall be enclosed with fireproof partitions with
  a  fireproof  door and assembly with the door self-closing at the second
  story landing of such stair and at every higher story landing from which
  the stair continues upward within the apartment;  or  in  lieu  of  such
  fireproof  partitions  and  doors at least two means of egress from such
  apartment opening from different rooms shall be provided on  the  first,
  third and alternate higher stories, if any, of such apartment.

    5.  No  means  of egress from any apartment shall open into any stair,
  fire-stair or fire-tower required under the provisions of  this  section
  except through a vestibule or public hall.