CHICAGO—Although the start of a new year usually has peoplethinking about resolutions and future plans, it also is the day newlaws and regulations typically go into force. For example, tomorrowis the deadline for pre-1975 residential high-rises to comply withthe city's Life Safety Evaluation ordinance. And officials from thenonprofit Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler AdvisoryBoard say the outcomes of two recent high-rise fireshighlights the importance of this particular deadline.

On the evening of December 20, a single fire sprinklercontrolled a stove grease fire on the 23rd floor of the Adler Placeresidential high-rise on Chicago's Near South Side, according toboard officials. But a very different result occurred on December28 in LaSalle Terrace, an Old Town residential high-rise withoutsprinklers. Flames from an accidental furnace fire were visiblefrom street level and damaged the 19th floor.

Buildings affected by the law must have one- or two-waycommunications systems and doors and corridors that are fire-ratedfor one hour. But to pass the LSE, many buildings also requireadditional measures. By installing fire sprinklers, residentialhigh-rises can bypass those measures entirely.