What feature helps improve the fire safety of vertical shafts in high-rise buildings?

Equipping vertical shafts in high-rise buildings with automatic sprinklers significantly enhances fire safety. Vertical shafts can serve as conduits for smoke and heat during a fire, potentially allowing flames to spread rapidly between floors. By installing automatic sprinklers within these shafts, any fire outbreak can be promptly detected and suppressed, which not only helps contain the fire at its source but also reduces the risk of it escalating or spreading upward through the structure.

This fire suppression system is crucial especially in high-rise buildings where evacuation can be more challenging and where a fire can quickly endanger numerous occupants. The sprinklers activate automatically in the presence of heat, providing a fast response that can save lives and minimize property damage. Proper design and installation of these systems help ensure that vertical shafts do not become a pathway for fire to propagate throughout the building, thereby greatly enhancing overall fire safety.