They'd have made him put the fire doors in anyway--Sin-and, more than likely, he'll have to provide a second means of egress for the basement, in addition to the private entrance.

You crack me up, Gnu--"onerous"! I love that. I can't wait to hear you explain that the fire codes are onerous to a municipal judge. They tend to differ, and, while no one person's word is law, they come awful close-

Just remember that those fire codes are intended to protect people's lives(yours included), and so people who try to get around them aren't regarded as benevolent public citizens.