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Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 13(3), pp. 2036 - 2065
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.130342
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Fire Safety Challenges in Electrical Shafts: A Case of Fire Accident at High Rise Residential Building in Bengaluru, India

Mamatha N. ^*, Ajai Chandran C. K.
School of Architecture, Christ Deemed to be University, Karnataka, Bengaluru, India

ABSTRACT

Fire safety in high-rise residential buildings is a complex issue, especially when it comes to electrical shaft fires. These enclosed vertical shafts help the rapid spread of smoke, toxic gases and heat across different floors and pose a high risk to the occupants and affect the evacuation process. However, the actual life fire outbreaks show that the existing measures are still wanting as far as evacuation safety is concerned. These issues are addressed in this research through the use of performance-based fire design (PBFD) to assess fire behaviour and evacuation patterns in high-rise buildings. The study then simulates using PyroSim and Pathfinder simulation software, the visibility of smoke, reduction of visibility, CO and CO₂ levels, temperature changes, and congestion of the evacuation corridors. Unlike other studies, this paper combines both fire development and occupants' response to give a holistic approach to the issue of evacuation challenges. One of the findings of this research is the analysis of the ASET and RSET whereby it was found that the current provisions in fire safety do not ensure a safe exit. It was established that RSET is much higher than ASET, which points to a severe lack in current fire safety solutions. Simulations incorporating NBC-2016 (National Building Code-2016) provisions鈥攕uch as fire-rated doors, sprinklers, and mechanical ventilation鈥攄emonstrate improved outcomes, reducing RSET from 1,272 seconds to 746 seconds. However, persistent challenges such as congestion, bottlenecks, and hazardous gas levels highlight the need for enhanced fire safety strategies. This research offers practical recommendations to improve evacuation effectiveness through better ventilation, compartmentalization, and advanced suppression systems. The findings contribute to risk mitigation strategies, expand the knowledge base for fire safety, and provide a foundation for improving fire safety regulations in high-rise buildings.

KEYWORDS
ASET, Evacuation, Fire Safety, High-Rise Buildings, NBC-2016, Performance-Based Design, RSET

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Mamatha N. , Ajai Chandran C. K. , "Fire Safety Challenges in Electrical Shafts: A Case of Fire Accident at High Rise Residential Building in Bengaluru, India," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 2036 - 2065, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.130342.

(b). APA Format:
Mamatha N. , Ajai Chandran C. K. (2025). Fire Safety Challenges in Electrical Shafts: A Case of Fire Accident at High Rise Residential Building in Bengaluru, India. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 13(3), 2036 - 2065. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.130342.