fire escape question
i live in a 6 unit walkup in brooklyn. the three units which face the street, one of which is mine (3rd flr) don’t have fire escapes. the back units do. my only egress is the central stairway. the building is four stories tall. i really am afraid of not having a fire escape and…
i live in a 6 unit walkup in brooklyn. the three units which face the street, one of which is mine (3rd flr) don’t have fire escapes. the back units do. my only egress is the central stairway. the building is four stories tall. i really am afraid of not having a fire escape and when i moved in, i was provided a chain ladder, which i’ve discovered doesn’t fit properly. finding one that fits my window has been unsuccessful due to the thickness of the wall. am i entitled, by law, to a fire escape since i have only one way out? thanks to anyone who responds.
Honestly, this is exactly the kind of thing that 311 is for. Call them. Say you live in a six unit building in whatever borough and want to know about fire codes.
Here are some starting points:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/tenants/how_to_report.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/firecode/firecode.shtml
I’m kind of amazed that it isn’t easier to find that information.
Refer to NYC Building Code section 27-366 regarding exits from floors. It appears your building only requires one per floor:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/bldgs_code/bc27s6.pdf
On another note, your landlord will never ever put back up an unnatractive fire escape, that is not required by code, to satisy one neurotic rental tenant.
yes, this seems accurate as i’ve now viewed the multiple dwelling laws. thanks again for your responses.
I couldn’t have said it better, 364house.
It wouldn’t surprise me, blizzard, if your research determines that your apartment was created illegally. And though you may feel that the landlord has been very good to you, renting you an apartment which does not meet the minimum fire safety standard is not very good.
Maintaining a positive & productive dialog with your landlord should help in resolving. However, supplying a ladder as a means of complying with the building code requirements for a second means of egress from a unit in a multiple dwelling is unacceptable and not permitted in NYC. if the landlord was not aware of the code requirement, He should get this safety issue reviewed by an Architect or Engineer. The happiness of; or having a good landlord should not preclude the tenant from researching his or her rights. Remember – safety first.
i agree with you entirely and i do intend to talk with my landlord first. my landlord has been very good to me. i have no intention of creating friction with him. i just have concerns and it makes me a bit afraid. thanks for your response.
If I were the landlord and I had tried to work with you (happily supplied a ladder) and you went to the Department of buildings without talking to me further, you would not have a happy landlord.
thanks again for your posts. well, i’m about 99% sure that i’m not in a landmark ditrict. does anyone know what a bare bones, basic fire escape would cost to install on a building like mine?
OP does not provide a clear distinction between tenant’s fears and landlord’s obligations, nor indicate landlord’s lack of compliance with building code, fire code, housing maintenance code and/or multiple dwelling law. It is prohibited to add a fire escape to the front facade of buildings in landmarked districts where one does not already exist. From a liability standpoint, OP suggests that by “happily” supplying an escape ladder the landlord was more responsive to tenant’s concerns than to his own interests. The landlord should have the following posted in the lobby/vestibule:
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/rcny/rcny_form_fire_safety_plan_bldg_info_section.pdf
This second form contains additional fire safety information, at least part of which is the tenant’s responsibility: http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/rcny/rcny_fire_safety_plan_2_emerg_info_sect.pdf