Hong Kong's high-rise buildings could be equipped with specially strengthened lifts to be used for evacuation during emergencies, said a top fire expert who helped investigate the collapse of the World Trade Centre.
The remark, made at a City University seminar yesterday, followed a recent 10,000-page US government report on the collapse. It recommended evaluation of evacuation technologies such as hardened lifts and exterior escape and stairwell navigation devices.
Previous studies indicated evacuation time could be cut by about 40 per cent if lifts are used in non-fire emergencies, said Richard Custer of Arup Fire USA, who contributed to the report.
'We should recognise the need for taking advantage of elevators for evacuation. Unfortunately, this is not normally done.'
Arup is now helping Hong Kong's Fire Services Department to review the fire safety codes in light of emerging technologies, materials and methods.
Although the prevailing practice in fire codes excludes the use of lifts to leave buildings during emergencies, experts are increasingly saying that, as buildings get taller, the idea of using lifts as escape routes must be explored.
