Few US cities mandate sprinklers in old residential towers

FILE - In this July 14, 2017 file photo, firefighters on several balconies spray water upwards while trying to contain a fire at the Marco Polo apartment complex in Honolulu. Across the United States, there is a mixed bag of laws on whether older high-rise apartment buildings must install fire sprinklers that weren't required when the towers were first built. Many cities _ including New York, Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco _ still have high-rises without the safety measure. Cost is often cited, but after the deadly blaze in Honolulu, many question if the economics outweigh the potential for tragedy. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File) FILE - In this July 14, 2017 file photo, firefighters on several balconies spray water upwards while trying to contain a fire at the Marco Polo apartment complex in Honolulu. Across the United States, there is a mixed bag of laws on whether older high-rise apartment buildings must install fire sprinklers that weren't required when the towers were first built. Many cities _ including New York, Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco _ still have high-rises without the safety measure. Cost is often cited, but after the deadly blaze in Honolulu, many question if the economics outweigh the potential for tragedy. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia, File)

By Associated Press July 23, 2017 3 min read

HONOLULU (AP) – A high-rise fire recently claimed the lives of three people in Honolulu, and the apartment building where the blaze broke out had no fire sprinklers.

The tower overlooking Waikiki was constructed in 1971, before sprinkles were required for new construction in the city, a trend echoed in major cities across the U.S.

While most cities mandate sprinklers in newly built high-rises, many older residential towers lack the safety measure. Here’s a look at policies in some of the country’s largest cities:

NEW YORK

New York City requires older office buildings taller than 100 feet to install sprinkler systems. Residential high-rise buildings must install sprinkler systems if the building undergoes significant renovations, according to the city Department of Buildings.