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And, if the interior stairway or ramp does not <br /> terminate next to an exterior wall with a doorway <br /> through the exterior wall , a protected hallway is <br /> necessary between the stairway and the exterior wall to <br /> assure safe egress. <br /> All of the items that constitute an exitway, (i.e. , the <br /> doorways together with connecting hallways, interior or <br /> exterior ramps or horizontal exits) must be of <br /> sufficient width. A narrow stairway, doorway or <br /> hallway is of little value during a fire. In addition <br /> to having minimum width for the components of exitways, <br /> the total capacity of the exitways serving any floor <br /> must be adequate. <br /> Exterior stairways, horizontal exits, smokeproof towers <br /> and ramps may be used in exitways. On new buildings or <br /> alterations of buildings, fire escapes and slide <br /> escapes are not recognized as being adequate as a <br /> portion of an exitway. Elevators are not to be <br /> considered as a part of any requires exitway. <br /> Escalators when properly enclosed, as for interior <br /> stairways and with certain other conditions, may be <br /> considered as required exit stairways. <br /> There are other principles for safety to life from <br /> fire. First, without becoming involved in details of <br /> specific occupancies or types of construction, is the <br /> principle that buildings for certain occupancies need <br /> to have features to contain a fire to a small space, <br /> restrict the spread of fire from one floor area to <br /> other floors, or be constructed of materials that will <br /> not ignite, burn and spread fire. <br /> Another principle is that large fires and <br /> conflagrations endanger many lives, including those of <br /> occupants in neighboring buildings and the lives of <br /> fire fighters that are called upon to rescue people and <br /> to control and extinguish fires. Therefore, principles <br /> for safety to life involve restricting the size and <br /> spread of fire. <br /> The next fundamental of a building code is providing <br /> reasonable safety to property from fire. It should be <br /> noted that all of these items also involve safety to <br /> life in some way. It is difficult to disassociate the <br /> two fundamentals. <br /> The first principle for this is that no building should <br /> be built so it will unduly endanger the adjacent <br /> buildings. In order to accomplish this principle, <br /> codes include the following factors: <br />