In every building erected after February 20 1917, except in private dwellings, each floor area above the first shall be provided with at least two means of egress, remote from each other, one of which shall be an enclosed stairway as provided by §§ 5-25-830 and 5-25-840, an outside iron fire escape, a doorway in a fire wall leading to another floor area separately provided with adequate stairs or other independent means of exit. Such doorway serving as an emergency exit in a fire wall shall be protected by an automatic and self-closing fire door. No portion of any floor area shall be more than one hundred feet from a place of egress. Elevators shall not be considered as a means of egress as specified in this section.

The term "floor area" as used in this section, shall mean the entire floor space between exterior walls and fire walls.