fire escape

American  

noun

1. an apparatus or structure used to escape from a burning building, as a metal stairway down an outside wall.

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fire escape British  

noun

1. a means of evacuating people from a building in the event of fire, esp a metal staircase outside the building

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Etymology

Origin of fire escape

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

Bryant entered the building containing the recording studio and opened a locked fire escape exit door to allow others to slip in without being seen by Mizell.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 27, 2026

"When I got down on the fire escape, they were all going ‘I saw the way to threw that burger at me Ness, it was lush’."

From BBC • Sep. 6, 2024

Officials also said rescue efforts were slowed by limited access to the building, which has a single staircase and no fire escape.

From BBC • May 27, 2024

When one supportive community member played chants from a speaker in his apartment window, an officer scaled the building’s fire escape to tell him to stop, video of the incident shows.

From Seattle Times • May 22, 2024

On the other side of the street, the woman with orange hair saw Natalie running down the fire escape and waved her arms in warning.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz