Fire fighting in high-rise buildings: the role for engineers

This paper aims to give engineering professionals a better understanding of the role and challenges facing fire services departments in enforcing fire safety and tackling towering infernos. In Hong Kong, where over seven million people live in high-rise buildings, the government has been injecting significant resources to address fire risk from educational, enforcement, economic, emergency and – crucially – engineering perspectives. The result is that overall fire risk is being comprehensively addressed for the benefit of both the community and fire fighters.