fire safety provisions

Fire safety in buildings is a critical issue that often receives attention only after a tragic fire occurs. “The National Building Code of Canada (NRC, 1995) defines fire safety as the objective to reduce the probability of individuals being exposed to unacceptable fire hazards due to building design and construction” [1]. It is crucial to review the design and construction of buildings, particularly escape routes and safe assembly areas. However, the current practice of installing iron grills on balconies, intended to enhance security, has inadvertently increased the risk of occupants becoming trapped in the event of a fire. Ramachandran (1999) suggests that safety is the opposite of risk, acknowledging that absolute safety is unattainable. However, “a building may be considered "very safe" from fire if it exhibits low fire risk associated with its structure, contents, and occupants. While occupants play a vital role in mitigating fire risk through appropriate evacuation behavior, their actions can sometimes be unpredictable”. Proulx (1995) notes that elderly and mobility-impaired occupants may wait in their units to be rescued during evacuations, posing challenges for firefighters, especially in buildings without fire lifts. In Bangalore, residential buildings are particularly vulnerable to fire incidents, as evidenced by fire statistics showing a significant number of annual cases and victims. The difficulty in identifying the causes of these fires, exacerbated by destroyed evidence, underscores the risks associated with occupying high-rise buildings.建筑消防安全（fire safety）是一项至关重要的议题，却往往仅在悲剧性火灾发生后才会受到关注。《加拿大国家建筑规范》（National Building Code of Canada，简称NRC，1995年版）将消防安全（fire safety）定义为：降低因建筑设计与施工导致人员暴露于不可接受火灾风险中的概率[1]。对建筑的设计与施工，尤其是疏散通道（escape routes）与安全聚集区（safe assembly areas）进行审查至关重要。然而，当前为提升安防效果而在阳台安装铁艺格栅（iron grills）的做法，却意外增加了火灾发生时人员被困的风险。 拉马钱德兰（Ramachandran，1999）提出，安全与风险相对，并指出绝对安全是无法实现的。不过，“若建筑在结构、内部物品及人员相关的火灾风险均处于较低水平，则可被视为具备极高的消防安全水平。尽管人员可通过合理的疏散行为在降低火灾风险中发挥关键作用，但他们的行动有时却难以预测”。普鲁克斯（Proulx，1995）指出，老年及行动不便的人员在疏散过程中可能会留在居所等待救援，这给消防救援工作带来了挑战，尤其是在未配备消防电梯（fire lifts）的建筑中。 在班加罗尔，住宅建筑尤其容易发生火灾，火灾统计数据显示每年均有大量火灾案例与伤亡人员，可为此提供佐证。由于火灾证据遭到破坏，这类火灾的成因辨识难度进一步加大，这也凸显了高层建筑（high-rise buildings）居住所面临的风险。