Approximately how long does it take to fully evacuate a 50-story building using one stairway?

Evacuating a 50-story building using a single stairway is a complex process that involves several factors, including the number of occupants, their familiarity with the evacuation procedures, and the physical condition of the stairway itself. The time it takes to evacuate can vary significantly, but historical data and studies inform estimates for buildings of this height.

A commonly accepted estimate is that it typically takes about 1.5 to 2 minutes per floor for people to evacuate, especially when using only one stairway. This accounts for not just the physical act of descending the stairs but also for crowd management, potential bottlenecks, and the time required for individuals to receive warning or instructions to evacuate. When applying this estimation to a 50-story building, you would multiply the number of floors by the time it takes to evacuate each floor, which leads to a calculation of approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours for total evacuation under less than optimal conditions.

Choosing two hours and 11 minutes as the duration recognizes the likelihood of additional complications during the evacuation process, such as the possibility of individuals needing assistance, weather conditions, or additional safety protocols that may slow down the flow of evacuees. Consequently, this option provides