(a) The owner of any building which is more than 2 stories in height and which is used in the third or any higher story in whole or in part as a college, seminary, schoolhouse, hotel, hospital, asylum, almshouse, a factory or workshop, or as a tenement-house, or when rooms are let to families or lodgers or for the accommodation of organized associations of any description shall be required to furnish such building with sufficient permanent fire escapes from the third and all higher stories, which escapes shall be kept and maintained in good order.
(b) The fire escapes may be by means of stairways or ladders outside the building or by stairways in a separate tower or structure furnished with safe and easy communication with such building.
(c) This chapter shall not apply to any building whatever that is already supplied with 2 or more independent stairways leading from the highest story to the ground floor if the stairways shall not be nearer to each other at any point than a distance of 60 feet.