(a) The owner or lessee of every existing building and structure operated as a rooming house shall be responsible for the safety of all persons in or occupying such premises with respect to the adequacy of means of egress therefrom.
(b) Every room occupied for sleeping purposes above or below the ground level of exit discharge shall have access to two remote as practical means of escape, one of which shall be either an enclosed interior stairway or an exterior stairway. At least one means of escape shall be located to provide a safe path of travel to the outside of the building without traversing any corridor or space exposed to an unprotected verticle opening.
(c) Every room occupied for sleeping purposes located on the ground level of exit discharge shall have access to two separate means of escape, one of which may be an operable window. Exception: One story buildings with rooms having direct access to the exterior at grade.
(d) Where there are more than five persons occupying any rooms used for sleeping purposes on a second story or where there are more than two stories, a minimum of two approved and remote as practical exitways serving every occupied story above or below the first floor shall be provided. Exits shall be remote from each other as practical and so arranged and constructed as to minimize any possibility that both may be blocked by any one fire or other emergency.
(e) Any interior stairs required to be enclosed shall be enclosed in fire separation assemblies with at least a one hour fireresistance rating.
(f) A door designed to be kept normally closed in a means of egress such as a door to a stair enclosure shall be a self-closing door and shall not at any time be secured in the open position. All doors serving as egress assemblies must open in the direction of egress.
(g) No door in any means of egress shall be locked against egress when the building is occupied.
(h) Any existing rooming house, not provided with exit facilities as herein prescribed and in which the exits are deemed inadequate for safety by the building or fire official, such additional provision shall be made for safe means of egress as the building or fire official shall order.
(Ord. 176-1984. Passed 1-7-85.)