Without a Woman: Escape Fire Thanks to Anna Connelly

If it weren't for Anna Connelly, our cities might still lack a critical safety feature that has saved countless lives. 

In 1887, Connelly patented the first steel exterior fire escape, a revolutionary design that addressed the growing danger posed by fires in rapidly expanding urban environments. By this time, cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco had experienced devastating fires, and the need for effective fire safety measures was urgent. Anna’s invention, a fire escape bridge connecting the rooftops of two buildings, was a practical solution.

The design allowed people to safely escape from burning buildings by offering an elevated path that connected buildings of varying heights. This design not only saved lives but also inspired the modern fire escape system we rely on today.

Thanks to Anna Connelly's ingenuity, major cities implemented building codes that required all new buildings to include at least two egress paths, often incorporating Anna’s fire escape design. These safety measures became standard practice, significantly reducing the risk of fatalities in the event of a fire.

Without her invention, it's possible that fire safety would have taken much longer to improve, leaving cities vulnerable to disaster. Anna’s lasting legacy, which she continued to shape until her death in 1969 at the age of 100, is seen in every modern fire escape, a life-saving feature that stands as a testament to her vision and determination.