Apartment Rooftop Emergency Exits Rendered Useless

A significant number of apartment buildings in Ansan and across the region have their rooftop doors locked for crime prevention and youth crime deterrence reasons, raising concerns that there are virtually no measures in place in case of major fires.

In particular, as many apartment residents have expanded their balconies following the legalization of structural modifications, the only emergency exit for evacuation to neighboring units during fires and other emergencies is blocked, and the only escape route—the rooftop door—is also closed to prevent youth delinquency and fall accidents, creating friction with fire authorities.

However, most apartment buildings in Ansan and throughout the province do not open rooftop access doors due to concerns that youth may misuse them for inhaling adhesive or gas, suicide, and other harmful activities. Apartment A in Seonbu-dong, Danwon-gu has locks on all rooftop access doors to restrict entry, requiring residents to contact the management office separately for permission to access the rooftop.

Current fire safety laws mandate that buildings of five stories or higher must keep emergency exits open for evacuation during fires, and the Enforcement Decree of the Building Act specifies that emergency exits must remain constantly open if a plaza is installed on the rooftop.

Closing rooftop access doors violates relevant regulations that require them to remain constantly open for resident evacuation during emergencies, and such apartments are subject to fines.

A fire department official stated, "Rooftop access doors must always remain open in preparation for emergencies, and apartments that violate this requirement by keeping them closed face fines. However, residents' arguments about preventing youth crimes and fall accidents have merit, making on-site guidance challenging."

As a result, there is growing necessity for the management office to install remote-controlled door opening and closing systems for rooftop access doors and automatic opening systems linked to fire detection sensors to simultaneously secure evacuation spaces while addressing resident inconvenience.