Fire Safety Provisions in

building as per National

Building Code 2016
Secretariat Building Mumbai
The Uphaar Cinema fire, one of the worst fire tragedies in recent
Indian history, occurred on Friday, 13 June 1997 at Uphaar Cinema, in
Green Park, Delhi, during the 3-to-6 pm screening of the movie
Border. Trapped inside, 59 people died, mostly due to suffocation, and
103 were seriously injured in the resulting stampede.

In its final order Supreme Court on 25th August, 2015 modified its
earlier order and ordered real estate barons Ansal brothers will
undergo a two-year rigorous jail term in the Uphaar fire case if they
fail to pay Rs.30 crore each within three months.
This was not the first instance of such fires. After an earlier
transformer caused fire at Gopal Towers, a high-rise in Rajendra
Place, New Delhi in 1983, the licences of 12 cinemas, including that
of Uphaar, had been cancelled. The Deputy Commissioner of Police
(Licensing) who inspected Uphaar, had listed ten serious violations,
however all remained uncorrected until the fire 14 years late On 6
July 1989, a fire had broken out at Uphaar cinema due to a fault in
the sub station.
On the morning of the fire, at around 7 a.m, an explosion had been
heard by the security guard, Sudhir Kumar, who along with his friend
found smoke in the transformer room. The fire brigade and the Delhi
Vidyut Board (DVB) were informed – the fire brigade extinguished this
fire and DVB completed their repairs between 10:30 am and 11 am.

It is alleged that repairs conducted on the transformer in the earlier

part of the day were unsatisfactory and resulted in loose connections
that caused sparking on the B-Phase of the transformer where such
repairs were carried out. This resulted in the loosening of one of the
cables of the transformer which eventually came off and started
dangling loose along the radiator and burnt a hole in the radiator fin.
Through this hole the transformer oil started leaking out which, on
account of the heat generated by the loose cable touching against the
radiator, ignited the oil at about 4.55 p.m. on 13th June, 1997.
Since the transformer did not have an oil soak pit as required under the
regulations and the standard practice, the oil that spread out of the
enclosure continued leaking and spreading the fire to the adjacent
parking lot where cars were parked at a distance of no more than a
metre from the door of the transformer. The result was that all the cars
parked in the parking area on the ground floor of the cinema hall were
ablaze.

Smoke started blowing in the northern and southward directions in the

parking lot of the cinema complex. The northern bound smoke
encountered a gate which was adjacent to a staircase leading to the
cinema auditorium on the first floor. Due to chimney effect, the smoke
gushed into the stairwell and eventually entered the cinema auditorium
through a door and through the air conditioning ducts. The southward
bound smoke similarly travelled aerially through another staircase and
into the lower portion of the balcony of the auditorium from the left
side. All this happened while a large number of people were seated in
the auditorium enjoying the matinee show of ‘BORDER.
Because of smoke and carbon monoxide released by the burning oil
and other combustible material, the people in the auditorium started
suffocating. The Shift In-charge of the Green Park Complaint Centre of
DVB received a telephonic message at the relevant point of time,
regarding the fire. It was only then that the AIIMS grid to which the
transformer in question was connected was switched off and the flow
of energy to the cinema complex stopped. Supply of the 11 KV
outgoing Green Park Feeder tripped off at 5.05 p.m. thereby
discontinuing the supply of energy to the cinema.
Inside the auditorium and balcony there was complete pandemonium.
The people in the balcony are said to have rushed towards the exits in
pitch darkness as there were neither emergency lights nor any cinema
staff to help or guide them. No public announcement regarding the fire
was made to those inside the auditorium or the balcony, nor were any
fire alarms set off. Even the Projector Operator was not given
instructions to stop the film while the fire was raging nor was any
patron informed about the situation outside.
On the contrary, doors to the middle entrance of the balcony were
found to be bolted by the gatekeeper who had left his duty without
handing over charge to his reliever. More importantly, the addition of a
private 8-seater box had completely closed off the exit on the right side
of the balcony, while the addition of a total of 52 extra seats over the
years had completely blocked the gangway on the right side of the
balcony. Similarly, the gangway on the right of the middle entrance was
significantly narrower than required under the regulations. All these
obstructions, deviations, violations and deficiencies had, resulted in the
victims getting trapped in the balcony for at least 10-15 minutes
exposing them to lethal carbon monoxide, to which as many as 59
persons eventually succumbed.
Subsequently the courts issued non-bailable warrants against Sushil
Ansal, his brother Gopal, a Delhi Vidyut Board inspector and two fire
service officials.
The six were Uphaar managers Ajit Choudhary and N. S. Chopra,
gatekeeper Manmohan Unniyal, then DVB officials A. K. Gera and B M
Satija and former Delhi Fire Services officer H. S. Panwar.
Causes and Fire violations
The enquiries done by the Law commission of India, the Delhi Fire
department, Police and the CBI found a number of fire code violations
including the following:
1) No functional public announcement system (no announcement was
made when the fire broke out)
2) No emergency lights, foot lights, exit lights (The cinema hall was in
pitch darkness when the fire broke out)
3) Blocked gangways (the hall had made unauthorized extensions and
additions to seats)
4) Blocked exits (many exit doors – including the one leading to the
terrace – and gates were locked)
5) Unauthorised use of premises (shops were being run from spaces
supposed to be empty)
6) Installation and maintenance of the DVB transformer (where the fire
had started) – in violation of Indian Electricity Rules (no periodic
maintenance, no fire extinguishers, no isolation device, haphazard
electrical cables)
As per Syllabus
Fire Services: Basic fire extinguishing systems viz
Water based, pedestal fire hydrant systems, total
flood gas protection systems, smoke management
systems etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire safety engineering is defined as, “the process of
quantifying the risk that a fire hazard presents,
taking into account the specifics of the building, its
occupancy, its use and the resultant fire dynamics
and, if shown to be unacceptable, establishing the
measures needed to control the hazard until the risk
reaches acceptable levels”.
High Rise Building — For the purpose of this part, all
buildings 15 m or above in height (irrespective of their
occupancy) and up to 100 m shall be considered as high rise
buildings.
Note - All buildings having height above 100 m shall be
considered as super high rise buildings.

National Fire Protection Association (USA) defines a high-rise

as being higher than 75 feet (23 meters), or about 7 stories.
In most of the countries high rise or tower block means 35m
and above.
Emporis Standards defines a high-rise as "A multi-story
structure between 35–100 meters tall, or a building of
unknown height from 12–39 floors.“Emporis is a real
estate data mining company in Hamburg, Germany. The
company collects and publishes data and photographs of
buildings worldwide.

There is no clear difference between a tower block and a

skyscraper, although a building with fifty or more stories is
generally considered a skyscraper.
Horizontal Exit — A path of egress travel from one building
to an area in another building on approximately the same
level, or a path of egress travel through or around a fire
resistant wall to an area of refuge on approximately the
same level in the same building, which affords safety from
fire and smoke originating from the area of incidence and
areas communicating therewith.
Means of Egress — A continuous and unobstructed way of
travel from any point in a building or structure to a public
way, consisting of three separate and distinct parts, that is,
exit access, exit and exit discharge.

Means of Escape — A way out of a building or structure that

does not conform to the strict definition of ‘means of egress’
but does provide an alternate way out.
Mass Rapid Transit — Any station building or part thereof,
permanent or temporary, through which people transit for
the duration of time required to enter the building and board
the train to depart the station platform or to alight from the
train and depart from the station building.
3.1 Classification of Buildings Based on Occupancy

3.1.1 General Classification

All buildings, whether existing or hereafter erected shall be
classified according to use or the character of occupancy in
one of the following groups:
1. Group A Residential
2. Group B Educational
3. Group C Institutional
4. Group D Assembly
5. Group E Business
6. Group F Mercantile
7. Group G Industrial
8. Group H Storage
9. Group J Hazardous
3.1.2 Group A Residential Buildings
These shall include any building in which sleeping
accommodation is provided for normal residential purposes
with or without cooking or dining or both facilities, except
any building classified under Group C Institutional .
Buildings and structures under Group A shall be further
subdivided as follows:

Sub-division A-1 Lodging and rooming houses, and

dormitories
Sub-division A-2 One or two family private dwellings
Sub-division A-3 Apartment houses
Sub-division A-4 Hotels
a) Sub-division A-1 Lodging and rooming houses, and
dormitories
These shall include any building or group of buildings under
the same management, in which separate sleeping
accommodation on transient or permanent basis, with or
without dining facilities but without cooking facilities for
individuals is provided. This includes inns, clubs, motels and
guest houses.

These shall also include any building in which group sleeping

accommodation is provided, with or without dining facilities
for persons who are not members of the same family, in one
room or a series of closely associated rooms under joint
occupancy and single management, for example, school and
college dormitories, students, and other hostels and military
barracks.
b) Sub-division A-2 One or two family private dwellings

These shall include any private dwelling, which is occupied

by members of one or two families and has a total sleeping
accommodation for not more than 20 persons.
If rooms in a private dwelling are rented to outsiders, these
shall be for accommodating not more than three persons per
room.
If sleeping accommodation for more than 20 persons is
provided in any one residential building, it shall be classified
as a building in Subdivision A-1 Lodging and rooming
houses, and dormitories or A-4 Hotel as the case may be.
c) Sub-division A-3 Apartment houses

These shall include any building or structure in which living

quarters are provided for three or more families, living
independently of each other and with independent cooking
facilities, for example, apartment houses, mansions and
chawls.

d) Sub-division A-4 Hotels

These shall include any building or group of buildings under

single management, in which sleeping accommodation, with
or without dining facilities for hotels classified under all
hotels including starred hotels.
3.1.3 Group B Educational Institutions
These shall include any building used for school, college,
other training institutions for day-care purposes involving
assembly for instruction, education or recreation for not less
than 20 students.
Sub-division B-1 Schools up to senior secondary level
Sub-division B-2 All others/training institutions
a) Sub-division B-1: Schools up to senior secondary level This
subdivision shall include any building or a group of buildings
under single management which is used for students not less
than 20 in number.

b) Sub-division B-2: All others/training institutions – This

subdivision shall include any building or a group of buildings
under single management which is used for students not less
than 100 in number.
3.1.4 Group C Institutional buildings
These shall include any building or part thereof, which is used
for purposes, such as medical or other treatment or care of
persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease or
infirmity; care of infants, convalescents or aged persons and
for penal or correctional detention in which the liberty of the
inmates is restricted. Institutional buildings ordinarily provide
sleeping accommodation for the occupants.
Buildings and structures under Group C shall be further
subdivided as follows:

Sub-division C-1 Hospitals and sanatoria

Sub-division C-2 Custodial institutions
Sub-division C-3 Penal and mental institutions
a) Subdivision C-1: Hospitals and sanatoria – This subdivision
shall include any building or a group of buildings under single
management, which is used for housing persons suffering
from physical limitations because of health or age and those
incapable of self-preservation, for example, hospitals,
infirmaries, sanatoria and nursing homes.

b) Subdivision C-2: Custodial institutions – This subdivision

shall include any building or a group of buildings under single
management, which is used for the custody and care of
persons, such as children, convalescents आरोग्यलाभ and the
aged who are incapable of self-preservation, for example,
homes for the aged and infirm, convalescent homes and
orphanages.
Subdivision C-3: Penal and mental institutions – This
subdivision shall include any building or a group of buildings
under single management, which is used for housing persons
under restraint, or who are detained for penal or corrective
purposes, in which the liberty of the inmates is restricted, for
example, jails, prisons, mental hospitals, mental sanatoria
and reformatories
3.1.5 Group D Assembly buildings
These shall include any building or part of a building, where
number of persons not less than 50 congregate or gather for
amusement, recreation, social, religious, patriotic, civil, travel
and similar purposes, for example, theatres; motion picture
houses; assembly halls; auditoria; exhibition halls; museums;
skating rinks; gymnasiums; restaurants; places of worship;
dance halls; club rooms; passenger stations and terminals of
air, surface and marine public transportation services; and
stadia.
Buildings under Group D shall be further subdivided as
follows:
D-1: Buildings having a theatrical or motion picture or any
other stage and fixed seats for over 1 000 persons.
D-2: Buildings having a theatrical or motion picture or any
other stage and fixed seats up to 1 000 persons
D-3: Buildings without a permanent stage having
accommodation for 300 or more persons but no permanent
seating arrangement
dance halls, night clubs, incidental picture shows, dramatic,
theatrical or educational presentation, lectures
D-4: Buildings without a permanent stage having
accommodation for less than 300 persons with no permanent
seating arrangement.
D-5: All other structures including temporary structures
designed for assembly of people not covered by subdivisions
D-1 to D-4, at ground level. Like grandstands, stadia,
amusement park structures, reviewing stands and circus
tents, arenas, external swimming pools, tennis and similar
type of courts.

D-6: Buildings having mixed occupancies such as shopping

malls (providing facilities such as shopping, cinema theatres,
multiplexes and restaurants/food courts) and having other
occupancies such as offices, retail, residential mercantile etc
D-7: Underground and elevated mass rapid transit system
underground or elevated railways
Group E Business Buildings
These shall include any building or part thereof which is used for
transaction of business for keeping of accounts and records and similar
purposes, professional establishments, service facilities, etc. City halls,
town halls, courthouses and libraries shall be classified in this group so
far as the principal function of these is transaction of public business
and keeping of books and records.
Buildings under Group E shall be further subdivided as follows:
E-1: Offices, banks, professional establishments, like offices of
architects, engineers, doctors, lawyers, post offices and police stations
E-2: Laboratories, outpatient clinics, research establishments, libraries
and test houses.
E-3: Electronic data processing centers, computer installations,
Information technology parks and call centers
E-4: Telephone exchanges.
E-5: Broadcasting stations, T.V. Stations and air traffic control towers
3.1.7 Group F Mercantile Buildings
These shall include any building or part thereof, which is
used as shops, stores, market, for display and sale of
merchandise, either wholesale or retail.
Mercantile buildings shall be further sub-classified as
follows:
Sub-division F-1: Shops, stores, departmental stores, markets
(any with covered area up to 500 m2).
Sub-division F-2: Shops, stores, departmental stores, markets
(any with covered area more than 500 m2).
Sub-division F-3: Underground shopping centers
Storage and service facilities incidental to the sale of
merchandise and located in the same building shall be
included under this group.
3.1.8 Group G Industrial Buildings
These shall include any building or part of a building or
structure, in which products or materials of all kinds and
properties are fabricated, assembled, manufactured or
processed, for example, assembly plants, industrial
laboratories, dry cleaning plants, power plants, generating
units, pumping stations, fumigation chambers, laundries,
buildings or structures in gas plants, refineries, dairies and
saw-mills, etc.
Buildings under Group G shall be further subdivided as
follows:
Sub-division G-1: Buildings used for low hazard industries.
Sub-division G-2: Buildings used for moderate hazard
industries.
Sub-division G-3: Buildings used for high hazard industries
3.1.9 Group H Storage Buildings
Any building or part of a building used primarily for the
storage or sheltering (i/c servicing, processing or repairs
incidental to storage) of goods, ware or merchandise (except
those that involve highly combustible or explosive products )
vehicles or animals, for example, warehouses, cold storage,
freight depots, transit sheds, storehouses, truck and marine
terminals, garages, hangers, grain elevators, barns and
stables. Storage properties are characterized by the presence
of relatively small number of persons in proportion to the
area. for example, hangars used for assembly purposes,
warehouses used for office purposes, garage buildings used
for manufacturing.
3.1.10 Group J Hazardous Buildings
These shall include any building or part thereof which is used
for the storage, handling, manufacture or processing of highly
combustible or explosive materials or products which are
liable to burn with extreme rapidity and/or which may
produce poisonous fumes or explosions for storage, handling,
manufacturing or processing which involve highly corrosive,
toxic or noxious alkalis, acids or other liquids or chemicals
producing flame, fumes and explosive, poisonous, irritant or
corrosive gases; and for the storage, handling or processing of
any material producing explosive mixtures of dust which
result in the division of matter into fine particles subject to
spontaneous ignition.
Examples of buildings in this class are those buildings which
are used for:
a) Storage, under pressure of more than 0.1 N/mm2 and in
quantities exceeding 70 m3, of acetylene, hydrogen,
illuminating and natural gases, ammonia, chlorine,
phosgene, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, methyloxide
and all gases subject to explosion, fume or toxic hazard,
cryogenic gases, etc;
b) Storage and handling of hazardous and highly flammable
liquids, liquefiable gases like LPG, rocket propellants, etc;

c) Storage and handling of hazardous and highly flammable

or explosive materials (other than liquids); and

d) Manufacture of artificial flowers, synthetic leather,

ammunition, explosives and fireworks.
3.1.11 Mixed Occupancy
In case of mixed occupancy, in so far as fire protection is
concerned, all the occupancies/ the entire building shall be
governed by the most restrictive provisions of the Code
among those applicable for individual occupancies. The
provisions for life safety given in the Code for individual
occupancy shall, however, apply to the respective
occupancies.
However, in case such occupancies are separated (horizontally
and/or vertically, as the case may be) by a 4 h fire resistance
rating, all occupancies shall be treated as individual
occupancies and all provisions relevant of the respective
occupancies, given in the Code shall apply to them.
3.1.12 Any building not covered by Annex B or 3.1.8 shall be
classified in the group which most nearly resembles its
existing or proposed use.
Pressurization of internal staircases (protected exit)
a) Though in normal building design, compartmentation plays
a vital part in limiting the spread of fire, smoke will readily
spread to adjacent spaces through the various leakage
openings in the compartment enclosure, such as cracks,
openings around pipes ducts, airflow grills and doors, as
perfect sealing of all these openings is not possible. It is
smoke and toxic gases, rather than flame, that will initially
obstruct the free movement of occupants of the building
through the exits. Hence for the exclusion of smoke and toxic
gases from the protected exit, pressurization of staircases is of
great importance.
Escape lighting luminaries should be sited to cover the
following locations:

1) Near each intersection of corridors

2) at each exit door
3) Near each change of direction in the escape route
4) Near each staircase so that each flight of stairs receives
direct light
5) Near any other change of floor level
6) Outside each final exit and close to it
7) Near each fire alarm call point
8) Near fire-fighting equipment
9) To illuminate exit and safety signs as required by the
enforcing authority
Exits, exit access areas, staircase and corridor lights shall
conform to the following:
a) The staircase and corridor lighting shall be on separate
circuits and shall be independently connected so that it
could be operated by one switch installation on the ground
floor easily accessible to fire fighting staff at any time
irrespective of the position of the individual control of the
light points, if any. It should be of miniature circuit breaker
type of switch so as to avoid replacement of fuse in case of
crisis
b) Staircase and corridor lighting shall also be connected to
alternative supply. The alternative source of supply may be
provided by battery continuously trickle charged from the
electric mains.
Essential loads
a) Exit access corridor emergency lighting
b) Exit sign
c) Exit stairwell lighting
d) Exit stairwell pressurization
e) Smoke exhaust/removal systems, where provided
f) Emergency generator and main switchgear room lighting
g) Computer room air conditioning unit, power to UPS, and UPS battery
room lighting and ventilation
h) Power for magnetic door hold open devices where provided
i) Lighting and power in telephone operator's room, first aid centre and
Fire Control Centre (FCC) and security office including CCTV cameras
j) Complete fire detection, alarm system, including security alarms
k) Complete emergency voice/tone communication system
l) Fire pumps
m) Fire Lifts
n) All powered components of fire suppression systems
o) Aircraft warning light(s)
b) Pressurization is a method adopted for protecting the
exits from ingress of smoke, especially in high-rise
buildings. In pressurization, air is injected into the
staircases, lobbies to raise their pressure slightly above the
pressure in adjacent parts of the building. As a result,
ingress of smoke or toxic gases into the exits will be
prevented. The pressurization of staircases and lift lobbies
shall be adopted for high rise buildings and building having
mixed occupancy/multiplexes and Hospitals having covered
area more than 500 m2
The fire fighting System of a building has to be designed as per
National Building Code of India 2016 and local Building Bye laws. As
per Delhi Building Byelaw the designer is supposed to submit following
to Delhi Fire Service:
Building Plans for Multi-storeyed / Special Buildings-For multi-storeyed
buildings which are more than 15 m height and for special buildings
like assembly, institutional, industrial, storage and hazardous
occupancies, the following additional information shall be
furnished/indicate in the Building :

1. Access to fire appliances/vehicles with details of vehicular

turning circle and clear motorable access way around the building;
2. Size (width) of main and alternate staircases along with balcony
approach, corridor, ventilated lobby approach;
3. Location and details of lift enclosures;
4. Location and size of fire lift;
5. Smoke stop lobby/door where provided
6. Refuse chutes; refuse chamber, service duct, and etc
7. Vehicular parking space;
8. Refuge area, if any;
9. Details of Building Services - air conditioning system with
position or dampers, mechanical ventilation system, electrical services,
boilers, gas pipes etc.;
10. Details of exits including provision of ramps, etc. for hospitals
and special risks;
11. Location of generator, transformer, and switchgear room;
12. Smoke exhauster system if any;
13. Details of fire alarm system net work;
14. Location of centralized control, connecting all fire alarm system,
built-in fire protection arrangements and public address system, etc
15.Location and dimension of static water storage tank and pump room;
16.Location and details of fixed fire protection installations such as
sprinklers, wet risers, hose reels, drenchers. CO2 installations etc.; and
17. Location and details of first aid fire fighting
equipments/installations.
The four elements are oxygen to sustain combustion, sufficient heat
to raise the material to its ignition temperature, fuel or combustible
material and subsequently an exothermic chemical chain reaction in
the material. Each of the four sides of the fire tetrahedron symbolise
the Fuel, Heat, Oxygen and Chemical Chain Reaction. Theoretically,
fire extinguishers put out fire by taking away one or more elements
of the fire tetrahedron.
Stages of a Fire
There are three generally recognized stages to a fire.
1) The incipient stage is a region where preheating, distillation and
slow pyrolysis are in progress. Gas and sub-micron particles are
generated and transported away from the source by diffusion, air
movement, and weak convection movement, produced by the
buoyancy of the products of pyrolysis.

2) The smoldering stage is a region of fully developed pyrolysis that

begins with ignition and includes the initial stage of combustion.
Invisible aerosol and visible smoke particles are generated and
transported away from the source by moderate convection
patterns and background air movement.

3) The flaming stage is a region of rapid reaction that covers the

period of initial occurrence of flame to a fully developed fire. Heat
transfer from the fire occurs predominantly from radiation and
convection from the flame.
Fire fighting systems
Fire fighting systems can be of following types :

• Portable Fire Extinguishers

• Fixed fire fighting systems

Primary Fire fighting Systems are the Portable Fire

Extinguishers to be used by Occupants primarily if
trained.
Secondary Fire fighting Systems are Fixed fire fighting
systems which are supposed to be used by trained staff
or by Fire Brigade. Some of them operate automatically
after giving the prewarning to occupants about
happening of severe fire in or around their area.
The following briefs some of the most effective fire protection
systems

• Automatic Fire Detection Systems

• Alarm and Voice Communication (EVAC) Systems
• Emergency Telephone Systems
• Automatic Dry Extinguishing Systems
• Automatic sprinkler systems
• Deluge systems
• Hose reel systems
• Manual fire extinguisher
• Smoke venting systems
• Security Systems
• Access control
• Intruder Alarm
• Closed Circuit Television surveillance
Fire regulations as per the Development Control Rules, 1991, for
Mumbai:
For all multi-storeyed, high-rise buildings, the following information
shall be indicated on the building plans:

1) Access to fire appliances/vehicles with details of vehicular turning

circle and clear motorable access-way around the building;
2) size (width) of main and alternate staircases along with the
balcony approach, corridor, ventilated lobby approach;
3) location and details of lift enclosures;
4) location and size of fire lift;
5) smoke stop lobby door, where provided;
6) refuse chutes, refuses chamber, service duct, etc.;
7) vehicular, loading and unloading parking spaces;
8) refuge area, if any;
1) Details of air-conditioning system with position of fire dampers,
mechanical ventilation system, electrical services (with dimensions
of electrical transforming sub-stations, etc.), boilers, gas pipes,
meter rooms, etc.;
2) Details of exits, including ramps, etc. for hospitals and special risks;
3) Location of generator, transformer and switch gear room;
4) Smoke exhaust system, if any;
5) Details of fire alarm system (manual or automatic);
6) Location of centralized control, connecting all fire alarms, built-in fire
protection arrangements and public address system, etc.;
7) Location and dimensions of static water storage tank and pump
room along with fire service inlets for mobile pump and water
storage tank:
8) Location and details of fixed fire protection installation such as
sprinklers, wet hose reels, drenchers, carbon-dioxide (CO)
installations, etc.; and
9) Location and details of first aid and fire fighting
equipment/installations.
FIRE PROTECTION AS PER NBC 2016

5.1 Fire Extinguishers/Fixed Fire Fighting Installations

a)All buildings depending upon the occupancy use and height
shall be protected by fire extinguishers, hose reels, wet riser,
down-comer, yard hydrants, automatic sprinkler installation,
high/medium velocity water spray, foam, watermist /mist
sprinkler systems gaseous or dry powder system,
manual/automatic fire alarm system, etc in accordance with
the provisions of various clausesbelow as applicable:

i)The typical requirements of fire extinguishers/yard

hydrantsystems/wet riser/down-comer installation and
capacity of waterstorage tanks and fire pumps, etc shall be as
specified in Table 7.
ii)The requirements regarding size of mains/risers shall be as
given in Table 8. The typical arrangements of down-comer
and wet riserinstallations are shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.
Fig. 4
Typical Wet
Riser and
Sprikler
System
1) Type of Building
2) Fire extinguisher
3) Hose Reel
4) Dry riser
5) Wet riser
6) Down-comer
7) Yard hydrant
8) Automatic sprinkler system (See also Note 17)
9) Manual fire alarm system
10)Automatic detection and Alarm System
11) Terrace tank (Note 11)
12)Underground Static water tank
13) Pump near underground tank (LPM)
14) Pump at Terrace
As per syllabus this is chapter on fire hydrant systems which
can be :
 Internal Hydrant System
 External Hydrant System
AS PER IS 3844 2010 “CODE OF PRACTICE FOR
INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL FIRE
HYDRANTS AND HOSE REELS ON PREMISES “ AND NBC
2005

Internal hydrants form part of any of the following systems:

1) Dry-riser system,
2) Wet-riser system,
3) Wet-riser-cum-down-comer system, and
4) Down-comer system.
Components of an Internal Hydrant System

An internal hydrant, installation comprise the following

elements:

1) Static or terrace tank for storing water for fire fighting

purpose;
2) Rise mains, down-comer mains or external mains to feed
water from the source to the required point under
pressure;
3) Fire fighting pump/pumps with all fitments and
components and pump control panel, housed in a pump
house; and
4) All necessary components like internal hydrants (landing
valves) and external hydrants, hose reels, hoses and
branch pipes, suitably housed.
Dry-Riser System (for Cold Region)

Dry-riser main system could be installed in buildings under Group A (i, ii,
iii, and iv) Residential Buildings where the height of building is above
15 m but not exceeding 24 m up to terrace level and where the water
supply for fire fighting is immediately available either through the
underground water storage tank/tanks or through water mains/town’s
main in lieu of provision given in Table 1. The rising main should have
two-way fire service inlet without non-return valve at ground level, in
front of each such block. It should also be provided with an air-releasing
valve at the top level and drain valve at the bottom. The inlet should be
about 1 m from the ground level, and easily accessible and
unobstructed at all times. Single headed landing valves conforming to
IS 5290: 1983 should be provided at all floor landing/staircase
enclosures or other suitable easily accessible point.
Down-Comer
An arrangement for fire fighting within the building by means of down-
comer mains of not less than 100 mm internal dia, connected to terrace
tank through terrace pump, gate valve and non-return valve and landing
valves on each floor/landing. It is also fitted with inlet connections at
ground. Single headed landing valve, connected to a 100 mm diameter
pipe taken from the terrace pump delivery should be provided at each
floor/landing. A hose reel conforming to IS 884: 1985 and directly
tapped from the down-comer pipe should also be provided on each
floor/landing.
Wet-Riser-cum-Down-Comer
An arrangement for fire fighting within the building by means of vertical
rising mains of not less than 100 mm internal dia with landing valves on
each floor/landing connected to terrace tank for fire fighting purpose,
through a terrace pump, gate valve and non-return valve near the tank
and to a fire pump, gate and non-return valves, over the static tank.
Wet-Riser

An arrangement for fire fighting within the building by means of vertical

rising mains of not less than 100 mm internal dia with landing valves on
each floor/landing for fire fighting purposes and permanently charged
with water from a pressurized supply.

A provision of pressure differential switch to start the pump

automatically, so that water under pressure is available for operational
hydrant, hose reels, etc, as soon as the water is drawn from hydrant
landing valves causing drop in pressure. The system also incorporates a
stand-by pump to come into operation automatically when the normal
power supply source fails.
Fixed Fire Fighting
systems
Wet
Riser
Hydrant
System
Wet
Riser
System
Sprinkler
Riser
System
Sprinkler
Riser
system with
Pumps and
U/G Fire
Water Tank
Using Wet-Riser System Pump for Partial Sprinkler System

In main high rise buildings, the basement is used for car

parking/housing transformers/or storages and other floors may be
used as shopping areas,
departmental stores, etc, the total area used for such purpose being
small, in such cases, the same wet-riser pump may be used for feeding
the sprinkler system provided that:

1) the total area of the basement to be protected is less than 500 m2

2) the total area utilized as shops departmental stores is less than 1
000 m2.
3) the pump has a capacity of at least 2 850 l/min with suitable
motor.
4) a separate stand-by pump of equal capacity is installed, either
diesel driven, or by a generator of appropriate capacity
Wet Riser Continued….

The distribution of wet-riser installation in the building should be so

situated as not to be farther than 30 m from any point in the area
covered by the hydrant and at a height of 075 m to 1 m from the floor.

The rising mains should not be more than 50 m apart in horizontal.

Fire service inlet with gate and non-return valve to charge the riser in
the event of failure of the static pump directly from the mobile pump of
the fire services should be provided on the wet-riser system. The fire
service inlet for 100 mm internal diameter rising main should have
collecting head with 2 numbers of 63 mm inlets and for 150 mm rising
main, collecting head with 4 numbers of 63 mm inlets should be
provided.
4.2.2 Unless otherwise specified, lifts, escalators, moving
walks and revolving doors shall not be considered as exits
and shall not constitute any part of the required means of
exit.
D-4.1 Lift landing doors shall have a minimum fire
resistance rating of 1 h for integrity as per accepted
standard [4(1)] for non-fire lifts in buildings less than 60 m
height and such buildings wherein partition wall in hoist-
way is provided.
D-4.2 Lift landing doors shall have a minimum fire
resistance rating of 2 h for integrity as per accepted
standard [4(1)] for all fire lifts and buildings greater than
60 m and in buildings in which partition wall in hoist way
is not provided. However in case of fire lifts, partition wall
shall be required for separating fire lift and non-fire lift.
c) Alternate source of power supply shall be provided for all the lifts
through a manually operated changeover switch.
d) Lift motor room shall be located on top of the shaft and separated
from the shaft by the floor of the room.
e) The electric supply shall be on a separate service from electric
supply mains in a building and the cables run in a route safe from fire,
that is, within the lift shaft. Lights and fans in the elevators having
wooden paneling or sheet steel construction shall be operated on 24
volt supply.
f) In case of failure of normal electric supply, it shall automatically trip
over to alternate supply. For apartment houses, this changeover of
supply could be done through manually operated changeover switch.
Alternatively, the lift shall be so wired that in case of power failure, it
comes down at the ground level and comes to stand-still with door
open.
The first-aid firefighting equipment shall be provided on all floors,
including basements, lift rooms, etc, in accordance with relevant
Indian standards
Fire Lift — The lift installed to enable fire services
personnel to reach different floors with minimum delay,
having such features as required in accordance with this
part.
The operation of a fire lift is by a simple toggle or two-button
switch situated in a glass-fronted box adjacent to the lift at
the entrance level. When the switch is on, landing call-points
will become inoperative and the lift will be on car control
only or on a priority control device. When the switch is off,
the lift will return to normal working. This lift can be used by
the occupants in normal times.
h) The words `Fire Lift’ shall be conspicuously displayed in
fluorescent paint on the lift landing doors at each floor level.
Exits: Every building meant for human occupancy shall be provided with
exits (horizontal or vertical) sufficient to permit safe escape of its
occupants in case of fire or other emergency. Exits shall:
•provide continuous egress to the exterior of the building or to an
exterior open space leading to the street;
be so arranged that, except in a residential building, they can be
reached without having to cross another occupied unit;
•be free of obstruction; and adequately illuminated;
•be clearly visible, with the routes reaching them clearly marked and
signs posted to guide any person to the floor concerned;
•be fitted, if necessary, with fire fighting equipment suitably located but
not as to obstruct the passage, clearly marked and with its location
clearly indicated on both sides of the exit way;
•be fitted with a fire alarm device, if it is either a multi-storeyed, high-
use or a special building so as to ensure its prompt evacuation;
•be so located that the travel distance on the floor does not exceed 22.5
m (for residential, educational, institutional and hazardous occupancies)
and 30 m (for Assembly, business, mercantile, industrial and storage)
The staircase shall be ventilated to the atmosphere at each
landing and a vent at the top; the vent openings shall be of
0.5 m2 in the external wall and the top. If the staircase
cannot be ventilated, because of location or other reasons,
a positive pressure 50 Pa shall be maintained inside. The
mechanism for pressurizing the staircase shall operate
automatically with the fire alarm. The roof of the shaft shall
be 1 m above the surrounding roof. Glazing or glass bricks if
used in staircase, shall have fire resistance rating of
minimum 2 h.
D-17 FIRE CONTROL ROOM
a) For all buildings 15 m in height or above and apartment buildings
with a height of 30 m and above, there shall be a control room on the
entrance floor of the building with communication system (suitable
public address system) to aid floors and facilities for receiving the
message from different floors.
b) Details of all floor plans along with the details of firefighting
equipment and installations shall be maintained in the fire control
room.
c) The fire control room shall also have facilities to detect the fire on
any floor through indicator boards connection; fire detection and
alarm systems on all floors.
d) The fire staff in charge of the fire control room shall be responsible
for the maintenance of the various services and firefighting
equipment and installations in co-ordination with security, electrical
and civil staff of the building.
Refuge area
Provisions contained in 4.4.6.2 (d) shall apply for all buildings except
multi-family dwellings. Refuge area of not less than 15 m2 shall be
provided on the external walls and separated from the surroundings
with walls/door having a fire resistance of at least two hours. Refuge
area shall comply with the following:
D-7.1 Refuge areas shall be accessible from the space they serve by
an accessible means of egress.
D-7.2 Refuge areas shall have access to a public way via an exit or an
elevator without requiring return to the building spaces through
which travel to the area of refuge occurred.
D-7.4 Each area of refuge shall be identified by a signage that reads
as the follows: “AREA OF REFUGE”
4.4.6.2 For buildings more than 24 m in height, refuge area equivalent
to 0.3 m2 per person to accommodate the occupants of two
consecutive floors (this shall consider occupants of the floor where
refuge is provided and occupants of floor above) or a minimum of 15
m2, whichever is higher, shall be provided as under:
iv) The refuge area shall be provided on the periphery of the floor or
preferably on a cantilever projection and open to air at least on one
side protected with suitable railings.
v) For floors above 24 m and Up to 39 m – One refuge area on the
floor immediately above 24 m.
vi) For floors above 39 m – One refuge area on the floor immediately
above 39 m and so after every 15-16 metres. Refuge area provided in
excess of the requirements shall be counted towards FAR.
NOTE - Residential flats in multistoried building with balcony, need not
be provided with refuge area, however flats without balcony shall
provide refuge area as given above.
D-7.6 Each area of refuge shall be sized to additionally accommodate
one wheelchair space of 750 mm × 1 250 mm for every 200
occupants, or portion thereof, based on the occupant load served by
the area of refuge. Such wheelchair spaces shall maintain the width
of a means of egress to not less than that required for the occupant
load served and to not less than 900 mm.

D-7.7 Each area of refuge shall be separated from the remainder of

the story by a barrier with not less than a 2-hour fire resistance
rating and one hour smoke barrier to minimize intrusion of smoke.
Fire Rating Requirements
There will be certain areas of the building which, because of the
uniqueness of the space and the degree of hazard contained within,
will require additional consideration. The following areas shall be
separated from other parts of the building, and each other, with walls
and floors having fire resistance values as shown:
a) Boiler Rooms - 4 hours
b) Transformer Rooms - 2 hours
c) Switchgear Rooms – 2 hours
d) Combustible or Flammable Liquid Storage – 4 hours
e) Engineering Workshops – 1 hour
f) Fire Pump Rooms – 2 hours
g) Transfer Switch Room – 2 hours
h) Generator Room – 2 hours
i) Emergency Switchgear Rooms – 2 hours
j) PABX – 2 hours
k) Emergency lighting battery and UPS rooms – 2 hours
l) Kitchens – 2 hours
D-22.4 Mechanical extractors for smoke venting system from lower
basement levels shall also be provided. The system shall be of such
design as to operate on actuation of heat/smoke sensitive detectors
or sprinklers, if installed, and shall have a considerably superior
performance compared to the standard units. It shall also have an
arrangement to start it manually.

a) Mechanical extractors and make up fans shall have an internal

locking arrangement, so that these shall continue to operate with the
actuation of fire detectors.
b) Mechanical extractors shall be designed to permit 12 air changes
per hour in case of fire or distress call. However, for normal operation,
air changes schedule shall be as given in 3.4.8.4.
c) Mechanical extractors and make up fans shall have an alternative
source of supply.
D-22.8 All floors shall be compartmented/zoned with area of
each compartment being not more than 750 m2. The size of
the compartment may be as follows, in case of sprinklered
basement/ building:
Compartmentaion shall be achieved by means of fire resisting
wall of 2 h rating or fire curtain of 2 h rating or water curtain.
In case of water curtain, existing water storage shall be
supplemented by water demand for water curtain nozzles for
60 min considering the largest size of compartment. The
water supply for the water curtain nozzles shall be through
independent electric pump of adequate capacity (flow and
head) with piping/ riser for the water supply to the nozzles.

D-22.9 Each compartment shall be provided with separate

entry/exit ramps and such provisions shall not be common
arrangement for all compartments.
Materials For Interior Decoration And Furnishing
Use of materials for the above purpose that are combustible
in nature, which may spread toxic fumes/gases, shall not be
used for interior decoration/furnishing, etc.
Fire Protection Arrangements For Super High Rise
Buildings – 100 M In Height Or Above
E-1 INTRODUCTION
a) A building, the highest floor of which is more than 100
m above the surrounding pavement level, shall be
considered as a super high-rise building.

b) The rules are applicable to all types of buildings with

non-industrial occupancies such as Apartments, Hotels,
Mercantile, Business buildings, etc.
E-7 HELIPAD
For high rise buildings above 200 m in height, provision for helipad is
recommended for certain specific requirements like landing of
firefighting equipment and support facilities or for other
emergencies.
E-2 YARD HYDRANT SYSTEM
a) Yard hydrant system shall be provided for tower(s) in ring
mains in accordance with [4(27)].
b) Hydrants at the yard shall be spaced at a maximum of 45
m interval’s around the entire tower(s).
c) If the distance between various tower(s) is more than 22.5
m, separate hydrants shall be provided for each tower in the
intra-space.
d) Where necessary, monitors shall need to be installed in
the ring mains to reach greater heights.
e) Orifice plates of suitable design shall be provided in the
landing valves, where necessary, to limit the operating
pressures within 7 kg/cm2.
PROTECTION TO UPPER LEVELS
a) Wet risers shall be provided for all the towers. Number of
wet risers depends upon the number of staircases. Staircase
requirements are dictated by the travel distance provisions
as indicated in 4 ‘Life Safety’.

b) Wet risers shall be a mix of 200 mm and 150 mm size

depending upon the pipe hydraulics.

c) Each wet riser shall be tapped directly from the pump

delivery header through an isolation valve.

d) When two or more wet risers are installed in a building, all

wet risers shall be interconnected at the terrace level with
interconnecting valves for isolation purpose.
j) Enclosure for the hose box shall be separated from the reminder of
the floor at all levels by two hours fire rated construction assembly. If
the building is fully sprinkler protected, rating can be reduced to one
hour.

k) Where the height of the building exceeds 100 m, multiple wet risers’
zoning system shall be established with pump sets and water tank at the
terrace of 100 m level and at every subsequent 100 m height. Every 100
m height of the building shall be protected in any one of the following
methods:
i) Single pump can be provided with two wet risers – one directly
feeding the upper levels and the other feeding the lower levels through
pressure reducing arrangement
ii) Pump with multi-stage, multi-outlet pump and risers tapped from
different outlets of the pump according to the pressure required at
various heights
iii) Any method other than the above, which shall be acceptable to the
local authorities having jurisdiction.
f) Pump capacity shall be 4 550 lpm (273 m3/hour) and head
shall be 150 m (15 bars).
NOTE - In case, if height of the building beyond 100 m is less
than 75 m in any upper zone(s), provisions of Table 7 can be
applied for the zone(s) concerned (only for hydrant wet risers
and capacity of pumps).
m) Water storage at ground level tank shall be in two separate
but interconnected compartments, having a minimum
capacity of 350 000 litres (350 m3)

n) Water storage at upper zones shall be at least equivalent to

20 minutes run of the installed pumping capacity at that level.
Arrangements shall be made to fill the tanks at upper zone(s)
from ground level by dedicated pumps and also by fire pumps
at ground level as an alternate arrangement.
SPRINKLER INSTALLATION
a) Sprinkler installation shall be installed in the entire building
throughout the building in all zones irrespective of the heights at
upper zones.

b) Pressure in the sprinkler installation piping shall not exceed 12bars

and pressure at the most remote sprinkler at any level shall not be
less than 0.5 bars and also not more than 5 bars.

c) Software based hydraulic calculations are necessary to prove the

pressures at all levels from the pumps. Where required, pressure
reducing arrangements shall be made.

d) Pumping arrangement for sprinkler installation shall be the same

as specified for hydrant pumps [clause E-3(i)].
PUMP HOUSE

c) Pump house shall be sufficiently large to accommodate all pumps

and their accessories like pressure reducers, diesel tank, etc.

d) Pump house at upper zones can be installed with other utility

requirements such as general water pumps, STP, water treatment
plants etc. No hazardous storage or operations shall be carried out at
this level.

g) 50 percent of the area occupied by all services at upper zones shall

be left vacant and this area shall be used for refuge of people during
emergency.

e) Fire water tank at upper zones shall also be connected to the

sprinkler installation in the lower zone as an alternate supply to the
latter in case of emergency.
As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act,
2006, Section 3(1), Schedule I, pages 29-37:

•Fire Extinguishers are required at prominent places

•Hose reel, Wet Riser, Down comer, Sprinkler systems, courtyard
hydrant, Smoke and Fire Alarm System (manual or automatic) may be
required
•Underground static water storage tank is required (depending on the
type of the building) with a corresponding water pump
•A separate terrace tank is required to store water to fight fire; along
with a corresponding booster pump on the terrace
*Floor indicators and signages for fire alarms and fire extinguishers have
to be given in lobbies, staircases, refuge areas and any other escape
routes.
•Proper training of fire fighting system, including operation of water
pumps, must be given to security personnel
•Self closing devices must be used in staircase doors
•Terrace door must not be kept locked
BMC and Fire Brigade rules for buildings with glass facades:

•Every floor must have a two-way opening measuring 5×5 ft in the

wall, as access points for rescue workers. They must properly labelled
as ‘Emergency Exit’.
•The distance between building structure and glass facade must not be
more than 300 mm
•Smoke seals made of non-combustible material must be laid between
building structure and glass facade.
•To restrict spread of fire, there must be an automatic water curtain
system on each floor
•Each ceiling must have a pop-up vent, which can be easily reached
from the floor, to be integrated with the smoke detection system
•All glass walls must not have any coating of combustible materials like
plastic, and must be designed to resist fire for atleast 2 hours