fire escape

American  

noun

• fire escapes
  plural

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

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fire escapes
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of fire escape

First recorded in 1670–80

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fire escape

One friend would debut a play, naturally, and everyone would come back to my apartment afterward for cocktails and canapés on the fire escape.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

It was blamed in part on the building’s highly flammable cladding and lack of alarms, sprinklers and a fire escape.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

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

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

From BBC ● May 26, 2024

The apartment’s entrance was marred by a rusty fire escape running up the front, and there was only one small bedroom—but the rent was $45 a month.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---