By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- Connecticut lawmakers have withdrawn a proposed building code change that would have allowed taller apartment buildings to be constructed with a single stairwell.
- The proposal stemmed from a 2024 law directing the state to expand single-stairwell building allowances during the next building code update.
- Fire marshals and fire chiefs across the state raised safety concerns, warning that a single exit route could endanger residents during fires.
- The legislature’s Regulation Review Committee moved to remove the provision, keeping the current rule requiring two stairwells for apartment buildings over three stories.
- Officials said the change was scrapped to allow the broader building code update process to move forward without delay.
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut lawmakers have removed a proposed change to the state building code that would have allowed certain apartment buildings to be constructed with a single stairwell, following opposition from fire service officials who raised safety concerns.
The proposal originated from legislation passed in 2024 directing the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services to expand the types of apartment buildings that could be served by a single stairwell in the next revision of the state building code. Under the current code, apartment buildings taller than three stories must have two stairwells.
During recent legislative action, a measure included in an emergency certification bill repealed the directive, leaving the existing stairwell requirement in place. The move came after members of the General Assembly’s Regulation Review Committee signaled the provision lacked sufficient support to move forward.
Fire marshals and chiefs across Connecticut expressed concern that allowing taller buildings with only one stairwell could create dangerous conditions during emergencies. Officials noted that residents and firefighters could be forced to use the same stairwell simultaneously during a fire, potentially complicating evacuations and suppression operations.
Housing advocates had supported the proposed change, arguing that requiring two stairwells can increase construction costs and limit development of smaller “missing middle” apartment buildings on constrained urban lots. Some advocates also said modern building systems, including sprinklers and fire-resistant construction materials, can mitigate fire risk in single-stairwell buildings.
The Connecticut Building Code is updated every three years through a review process led by the Department of Administrative Services and approved by the legislature. Lawmakers said removing the stairwell provision allows the broader code update to proceed while debate over the issue continues.