N.Y. Multiple Residence Law § 254: Egress from dwellings

§ 254. Egress from dwellings. 1. Nursing and convalescent homes, homes

for the aged and boarding and nursery schools, two stories in height

erected after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-seven, child caring

institutions, two stories in height, erected after July first, nineteen

hundred sixty-two and all dwellings three or more stories in height

shall have at least two means of egress and, except as otherwise

provided in the case of a pitched or sloped roof, shall extend to the

roof from an entrance story, street, court or yard. The entrances to

such means of egress at every story shall be at least fifteen feet

distant from each other unless they are on opposite sides of a public

hall. One means of egress shall be a stair constructed as provided in

section two hundred fifty-seven. The other means of egress shall be

either another such stair or a fire-stair or a fire-escape constructed

as provided in section one hundred thirty-three.

2. If the number of living rooms on any story, or in any section of

any story, above the entrance story exceeds twenty, there shall be an

additional stair or a fire-stair extending from the entrance story to

the roof for each twenty rooms or fraction thereof on such story or

section thereof in excess of twenty, except that no additional stair

shall be required for such excess on any story or section thereof if the

number of living rooms thereon does not exceed thirty and if in addition

one stair serving such story or section and every entrance hall or other

public hall connected therewith is everywhere four feet six inches or

more in clear width.

3. There shall be accessible from every apartment two means of egress

from the dwelling, one of which shall be an enclosed stair complying

with the provisions of section two hundred fifty-seven within fifty feet

from a means of egress from such apartment.

4. Nursing and convalescent homes, homes for the aged, and boarding

and nursery schools, one story in height, erected after July first,

nineteen hundred fifty-seven, and child caring institutions, one story

in height, erected after July first, nineteen hundred sixty-two, shall

have at least two means of egress from the dwelling accessible to every

apartment providing free and unobstructed egress by a door opening to

the outer air.