Shanghai Statistical Yearbook 2001 showed that by the end of 2000, the city boasted 3,529 buildings with more than eight stories, and 1,478 with more than 20 stories. Jin Mao Tower and Oriental Pearl Tower have already become Shanghai landmarks.

While people enjoy the wind, quiet and expansive view of high floors, they are still worried about safety issues.

For fire-fighters around the world, highrises pose a daunting challenge for rescue work, since any height over 50 metres may be out of their reach. Further, it may be difficult to get water to a fire on a high floor due to lack of water pressure.

"The key to successfully putting out a fire on a high floor is closely linked to the quality of fire-fighting equipment already in the building," said Chen Hangen, deputy-director of Shanghai Fire-fighting Bureau, in a report.

According to relevant regulations, highrises must maintain safety exits and sprinkler systems.

In the Portman Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, a five-star hotel in the city with 45 floors, sprinklers and smoke indicators are to be seen everywhere.

"The little sprinkler on the ceiling may help avert huge losses and damages in the event of a fire," said Quek Enghua, director of engineering of the hotel.

Studies have found that in some countries, such as the United States and Australia, over 99 percent of fires on high floors were put out by previously installed sprinklers.

Since skyscrapers have the capacity to hold thousands of people, fire prevention has always been a priority for local authorities.

Thus, maintenance and drills have long been stressed by experts.

To reach as high as possible, the 88-storied building has become part of daily training routines for local firefighters.

"We just try to reach higher floors by ascending stairs," said Jiang Junhao, from one of the city's fire-fighting squadrons.

"Each one of us is required to arrive at the 20th floor within 80 seconds carrying the weight of 10 kilograms, which would make us faster than a lift."

Last August, a big drill was held at Jinmao Tower. As scheduled, a "fire" was found on the 87th floor, about 333.7 metres high, and within 20 minutes, firefighters reached the spot, fulfilling their rescue work and putting out the fire. In this drill, water was successfully pumped to the height.

"Yet, people in the building should learn how to save themselves," Quek said. "Fire engines may not always be able to reach them."

Accordingly, the hotel inspects fire-prevention equipment daily.

"Each month, three drills are held," he said. "The whole hotel is monitored by a fire control centre, and indicators will respond with twinkling lights if thick smoke or flames are detected."

In the hotel, for the safety of those on higher floors beyond the reach of fire-fighting engines, two large rooms have been reserved as refuge areas with better ventilation at the 27th story.

If the fire is even worse, people can go up to the platform on the top of the building and wait for helicopter rescue.

(Shanghai Star April 18, 2002)