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The code of the city of Charlottesville, Virginia :

the charter as amended and the general ordinances of the city enacted as a whole June 6th, 1932, in effect July 15th, 1932
  
  

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Sec. 494(23). Fire escapes from buildings of three
stories and over.

It shall be the duty of the owner of every factory, workshop,
mill, saw-mill or place where the manufacture of goods of any
kind is carried on, hotel, school building, college, hospital, orphan
asylum, mercantile establishment and office building of over
three stories in height, or where as many as fifteen persons are
employed, lodged, entertained or instructed above the second
story of such building, then of three stories in height, and theaters
and public places of amusement, regardless of height, to
provide for the safe exit of the occupants thereof in case of
fire by the erection, construction and maintenance in good condition
of fire escapes of the most improved modern design and
of fireproof construction.

The owner or owners of any building upon which a fire escape
is erected shall keep the same in good repair and properly
painted.

(a) Location.—No fire escapes to buildings hereafter erected
shall be constructed over any sidewalk or street.

(b) Fire escapes in new or old buildings shall be easily accessible
from the inside of the building in which they are placed
by means of unobstructed corridors or passageways, and shall
in every case have the location approved by the building inspector.
All doors leading to fire escapes shall be labeled "Fire
Escapes" in letters three (3) inches high, plainly visible, and
shall be provided with locks not requiring keys.

All exterior fire escapes shall be constructed in accordance
with the latest regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters.

An exterior fire escape will not be required in fireproof buildings
where each story above the first has at least two means of
exit remote from each other, one of these opening to a street or


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fireproof passage leading to a street, and the other opening to a
yard or other space deemed safe by the Building Inspector and
of sufficient area to accommodate all persons in the building.

Two means of exit remote from each other shall be provided
from each story of dwellings when over three stories in height.