Nine-storey office evacuation with a chained exit and a smoke-inhalation casualty
A nine-storey office building in Astana has 720 occupants on a normal working day. At 11:10 a fire starts in a fourth-floor server room; the alarm sounds only on the fourth floor because the building is in 'test mode'. The ground-floor main exit is chained shut from the outside, and the emergency lighting in the north staircase has failed. Two people on the eighth floor use wheelchairs. One occupant collapses in the third-floor corridor with soot around the nose and mouth and is confused. The receptionist calls you, the building fire safety officer, and asks whether to use the lifts, where to send people, and what to do with the collapsed person. Smoke is already entering the north staircase. There are 12 minutes before the fire service is expected.
1. Set out the immediate evacuation strategy and priorities.
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Activate the all-floor alarm manually and call 101/112; the 'test mode' is not a reason to leave occupants uninformed. Unlock and secure the chained ground-floor exit immediately and send wardens to every floor, prioritizing the fourth floor and the north staircase where smoke is present. Do not use lifts. Send occupants to the south staircase or the protected route away from smoke; if the north staircase is smoke-logged, keep its doors closed and use the alternative. Close doors behind people to limit spread. Direct the two wheelchair users on the eighth floor to the refuge area on a protected floor or use an evacuation chair with trained assistants; do not block the staircase. Use an assembly point away from the building and take a headcount by floor. Meet the fire service with the plan, keys and information on the server room and missing persons.
2. How should the collapsed occupant be treated, and what protection is required for rescuers?
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Do not enter a smoke-filled corridor without breathing apparatus; a wet cloth is not respiratory protection. If the person can be reached safely, move them to fresh air, call EMS and check responsiveness and breathing. If breathing is present but the person is confused, place them in the recovery position and give oxygen by mask if trained and available; if not breathing, start CPR and use an AED. Do not give water or food. Cool any burns with running water for about 20 minutes, remove jewellery and loose clothing, and cover with a clean non-stick dressing. Record the time and hand over to EMS. Soot around the nose and mouth plus confusion suggests carbon monoxide or smoke inhalation, so oxygen and urgent medical assessment are priorities.
3. Identify the building's compliance failures and the corrective actions after the incident.
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Failures: alarm in test mode, chained exit, failed emergency lighting, no assisted-evacuation plan for wheelchair users, and likely insufficient staircase protection if smoke enters. Corrective actions: remove test mode and use a permit-to-disable procedure with a fire watch; prohibit chaining exits and fit panic hardware; repair emergency lighting and test it monthly; create personal emergency evacuation plans and refuge areas; train wardens and run drills including smoke conditions and reduced mobility; verify stair pressurization or smoke control. Keep records and test alarm audibility on all floors.