ABSTRACT
Every building should be designed so that the occupants can escape when fire breaks out. To escape they must be able to reach a place of safety without being overcome by the heat or smoke, and therefore the time need to escape has to be shorter than the time it will take for the fire and smoke to spread. This can be achieved by controlling fire spread and by ensuring escape routes are neither too long nor too complex. Consequently, escape must be designed into the circulation routes within the building and must form an integral part of the initial concept of the design.
