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The stairs were the only method of escape in a building that's too tall for fire escapes.

The stairs were the only method of escape in a building that's too tall for fire escapes.

Investigators sought answers Monday for why safety doors failed to close when fire broke out in a New York high-rise, allowing thick smoke to rise through the tower and kill 17 people, including eight children, in the city's deadliest blaze in more than three decades.

The stairs were the only method of escape in a building that's too tall for fire escapes.

“It’s pretty remarkable that the failure of one door could lead to how many deaths we had here, but that’s the reality of it," said Glenn Corbett, a fire science professor.