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

Some of the properties were never occupied due to safety issues such as unusual layouts or fire escape problems.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2025

"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

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

Specifically, they allege that it lacked a fire escape, smoke detectors and other fire safety features.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2024

I jump up, my fingers making contact with the last rung of the fire escape, but I don't have enough of a grip.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi