GoKawiilUS cities phase out external fire escapes as building codes evolve
A video essay from engineering YouTuber Grady (Practical Engineering) traces the rise and decline of the external metal fire escape in American cities, noting many older buildings still retain their original structures. The piece argues that fire escapes, long a fixture of urban skylines and fiction, are gradually disappearing as building codes and safety requirements change over time.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The video suggests that safety features like fire escapes were never installed purely for altruistic reasons but reflect a cost-benefit calculation by building owners, since such devices may never be used during a structure's lifetime. This framing implies that evolving building codes, rather than a single clear verdict on fire escapes' effectiveness, are driving their disappearance from cities.
- External fire escapes emerged as a response to deadly high-rise fires in early dense American cities
- Many original fire escapes remain installed and maintained on older buildings today
- Their gradual removal reflects changes in building codes rather than a settled consensus on their safety value
Source: practical.engineering — Wesley Crump, 2026-10-21
Published there as: “Whatever Happened to Fire Escapes”
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