Adapting the building to fire-safety and sanitary requirements will be completed later this year. The construction work, which will improve the safety of people using the building, has been divided into several stages. The first involves dividing the basement storage, utility and water-pressure-room areas into several fire zones. The evacuation route on the upper floor will be sealed, and partitions that narrow the evacuation routes will be removed. The threshold will also be removed and replaced with a ramp.
The next stage of the work will involve separating the main staircase from the corridors and installing special smoke and smoke-tight curtains and doors. Fourteen windows on the third floor, which are equipped with a smoke-extraction system, will be replaced, and the entire system will be controlled from a control panel. To improve safety throughout the building, smoke detectors will be installed and will automatically activate the system in the event of a hazard. The school will also be equipped with special lamps featuring pictograms marking evacuation routes.
The interior of the building will also receive a new look. As part of the renovation, new wall coverings and floor coverings intended for public-use buildings will be installed. The materials used will be non-combustible or flame-retardant.
The anticipated completion date for the work is November 20, 2020.