BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Eight people were hurt in a fire Wednesday at a building located at 6201 13th Avenue in Borough Park, authorities said, after illegally installed window bars blocked some escape routes.
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One of the injured, a 40-year-old, went into cardiac arrest. Firefighters had to navigate through rooms engulfed in flames to rescue residents. Three victims were unable to reach the fire escape because the bars were mounted on the outside of the windows.
City rules require window guards in buildings with three or more apartments that house children under 10, but bars cannot be placed on windows that provide access to fire escapes. Officials said the building’s exterior-mounted guards prevented safe egress.
Window guards are metal bars on the inside of windows, prevent people falling out. On fire escapes – where you want to escape from and also want to protect from intruders, they are operable. Both of these types are easily cut by fire department. In this situation, the windows had solid wrought iron bars over them attached to the outside – almost like a prison, which is a fire trap. Windows gates (that most apartments in Williamsburg have) are similar – often extended from the window itself, are also solid wrought iron bars attached to the exterior of the building, but have an operable gate in them – often with the key hanging on a chain nearby, making them possible to open and escape from in times of need / fire, or for the fire department to open when needed.
Now the city is going to come out with a new law that landlords have to replace all the window bars with “panic window bars” like child-proof caps. Just you wait and see.
What does it mean that “external” window guards aren’t legal?
Where are window guards required and where are they not allowed?
Most family homes in NYC do not have a fire escape – are they not allowed to window guards?
How would FDNY access any typical second floor window in a house with window guards?
This house’s window that faced its small fire escape did not have a guard.
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If the window leads to a fire escape, it must have a door or be able to open so you can climb onto the fire escape. Other windows, you can have regular bars to prevent kids getting out.
we need a new law making sure landlords are held accountable.
Is it considered plagiarism to quote verbatum information sourced from artificial intelligence, e.g. (for example) Google AI, without giving credit to the source? Just wondering…
The bars are there so kids don’t jump out. Legal or not legal its safer to have the bars
Dont put any bars so liberal criminals can invade your house without any consequences
Where was the Shomrim.