Highlighted News -01
After September 11, 2001, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) took important steps to enhance safety in tall buildings for occupants and first responders. Their recommendations, drawn from an investigation of the World Trade Center events, are crucial for public officials and building owners, especially for iconic and high-risk structures.
NIST identified eight key recommendations:
1. Boost Structural Integrity
2. Develop Fire-Resistant Designs
3. Enhance Active Fire Protection
4. Create Effective Evacuation Strategies ─ BTRC’s Fire Rescue Total solutions
5. Improve Emergency Response Protocols
6. Refine Procedures and Practices
7. Focus on Education and Training
These measures aim to create a safer environment in high-risk buildings for everyone.
Highlighted News -02
On the night of Saturday, June 14, a fire broke out in the 67-story Marina Pinnacle, or Tiger Tower, in the Dubai Marina district. Fortunately, all 3,820 residents from the 764 apartments were safely evacuated with no reported injuries.
This is not the first incident; a similar fire occurred on May 25, 2015, due to a kitchen issue. This highlights the need to update international fire safety regulations for high-rise buildings, especially regarding fire escape equipment and suppression methods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p35b9O5qYc&t=9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6yoiiQQflA&t=1s
Highlighted News -03
Highlighted News -04
According to the city's security chief, a fire broke out at the Wang Fuk Court development in Tai Po, Hong Kong, on Wednesday afternoon. This complex consists of eight 32-story towers.
The fire spread rapidly and has sadly led to at least 128 fatalities and 79 injuries, including 12 firefighters. Approximately 150 people are still unaccounted for within the burned building, and many others have been taken to hospitals for treatment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwdjiH-5vR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=c3_TNFF-YB4
Highlighted News -05
Fire evacuation in high-rise buildings a review of human behaviour and modelling research.
A review of literature related to fire evacuation in high-rise buildings was carried out with the following objectives, (1) to identify the key behavioural factors affecting the performance of people during a fire in a high-rise building, the singularities associated to this type of buildings and areas of future research; (2) to review the procedures and strategies currently adopted in high-rise buildings; (3) to review and analyse the capabilities of evacuation models by reviewing their current characteristics and applications in the context of high-rise building evacuations. The review included both findings on human behaviour in high-rise buildings and modelling techniques and tools. Different categories of building use were taken into account, namely office buildings, residential buildings and health care facilities. The individual or combined use of different egress components was analysed. Egress components include the use of stairs, elevators as well as alternative means of escape (e.g., sky-bridges, helicopters, etc.). The effectiveness of the egress components is strongly affected by the building use and the population involved. The review shows that evacuation models can be effectively employed to study relocation strategies and safety issues associated with high-rise buildings. The suitability of egress models for high-rise building evacuations is associated with their flexibility in representing different egress components and complex behavioural processes. The review highlights that there is not a definitive model to be used but that the predictive capabilities of evacuation modelling techniques would be enhanced if more than one model is employed to study different egress aspects. Future research and model developments should focus on the study of the impact of staff actions, group dynamics and people with disabilities. Given the increasing height of buildings and the gradual reduction in the physical abilities of the population, the effects of fatigue on evacuation need further studies.