A BRIEF VIEW ON THE USE OF ELEVATORS FOR FIRE ESCAPE FOR SUPER-HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS

摘要

"In case of fire, do not use the Lift" is a statement in the Guideline on Safe Use of Lift and Escalator published by the Department of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering of Hong Kong Government (EMSD (HK)). Signage showing this statement appears at each lift landing in Hong Kong. People in Hong Kong have long been educated to use staircases in stead of lift for escape in ease of fire. Nowadays, buildings are constructed higher and higher, we really need to consider the effort of evacuees to walk down 100 storeys or even more in a building on fire. Previously, people believed if fire happened in a high-rise building, this might merely confine to a small zone and the occupants in the affected zone would merely be required to escape. However, there have been some incidents, especially the World Trade Center Event, that total evacuation of occupants in a high-rise building is required. Evacuating a large amount of occupants from super high-rise buildings becomes a concern of building designers as well as the government. The idea of using lifts for fire escape may be required to review.This paper outlines some views from a Hong Kongs perspective.