The picture shown is a stand pipe in a hotel. I went to ice in the hotel I was staying in and this was right next to the ice machine.  I didn't measure it, but this standpipe would be very difficult to connect to. Additionally, if we did get connected with hose only, there would certainly be a kink at the coupling, further reducing our pressure.  

As I walked out the back of the building this is what I saw. Unremarkable, really. However, to the right is the drive that leads from the front of the building.

Accessing this stand pipe is almost impossible and these systems aren’t always that reliable and shouldn’t be your sole suppression plan.

As you can see, this is an outward swinging door that should be reasonable easy to force with the right tools and skill. Of course, in my experiences people aren’t spending as much time as they should practicing forcible entry techniques.

There are also floor level and pit hazards that need to be identified and planned for. These should be identified during inspections and pre-planning surveys.

Doing a thorough inspection on remodels could prevent something like this. This is a safety issue for both the occupants and firefighters.

Don’t let this pass inspection. These blocked doors can be dangerous and impede exiting patrons.