Section 254. Egress from dwellings  


Latest version.
  • 1. Nursing and convalescent homes, homes
      for  the  aged  and  boarding and nursery schools, two stories in height
      erected after July first, nineteen  hundred  fifty-seven,  child  caring
      institutions,  two stories in height, erected after July first, nineteen
      hundred sixty-two and all dwellings three  or  more  stories  in  height
      shall  have  at  least  two  means  of  egress  and, except as otherwise
      provided in the case of a pitched or sloped roof, shall  extend  to  the
      roof  from  an  entrance  story, street, court or yard. The entrances to
      such means of egress at every story  shall  be  at  least  fifteen  feet
      distant  from  each  other unless they are on opposite sides of a public
      hall. One means of egress shall be a stair constructed  as  provided  in
      section  two  hundred  fifty-seven.  The  other means of egress shall be
      either another such stair or a fire-stair or a  fire-escape  constructed
      as provided in section one hundred thirty-three.
        2.  If  the  number of living rooms on any story, or in any section of
      any story, above the entrance story exceeds twenty, there  shall  be  an
      additional  stair  or  a fire-stair extending from the entrance story to
      the roof for each twenty rooms or fraction  thereof  on  such  story  or
      section  thereof  in  excess  of twenty, except that no additional stair
      shall be required for such excess on any story or section thereof if the
      number of living rooms thereon does not exceed thirty and if in addition
      one stair serving such story or section and every entrance hall or other
      public hall connected therewith is everywhere four feet  six  inches  or
      more in clear width.
        3.  There shall be accessible from every apartment two means of egress
      from the dwelling, one of which shall be  an  enclosed  stair  complying
      with the provisions of section two hundred fifty-seven within fifty feet
      from a means of egress from such apartment.
        4.  Nursing  and  convalescent homes, homes for the aged, and boarding
      and nursery schools, one story in  height,  erected  after  July  first,
      nineteen  hundred  fifty-seven, and child caring institutions, one story
      in height, erected after July first, nineteen hundred  sixty-two,  shall
      have  at least two means of egress from the dwelling accessible to every
      apartment providing free and unobstructed egress by a  door  opening  to
      the outer air.