Cal. Civ. Code § 232
Fire-escapes
Operative Text
§ 232. Fire-escapes. 1. All fire-escapes erected after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, shall be arranged and constructed in conformity with the provisions of section fifty-three. 2. As specifically indicated in subdivision nine of section fifty-three, a wire, chain, cable, vertical ladder, or rope fire-escape is an unlawful means of egress from any apartment. Every such fire-escape shall be removed and replaced, if required as a means of egress, by a system of fire-escapes constructed and arranged as provided in section fifty-three.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 232 establishes two related requirements for fire-escapes in multiple dwellings. First, any fire-escape built after April 18, 1929 must be designed and built in accordance with the structural and arrangement standards set out in section 53 of the same law. Second, certain improvised or minimal egress devices—specifically wire, chain, cable, vertical ladder, or rope fire-escapes—are declared unlawful as means of egress from any apartment, and must be removed and replaced with a code-compliant fire-escape system if egress is required at that location.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 232 generally ensure that any fire-escape installed after April 18, 1929 meets the construction and arrangement standards referenced in section 53. Compliant operators also audit their buildings for the prohibited egress devices listed in § 232(2)—wire, chain, cable, vertical ladder, and rope fire-escapes—and arrange for their removal and replacement with a lawful fire-escape system wherever egress is required. Routine inspections and documentation of fire-escape conditions are practices commonly associated with maintaining compliance under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 232 gives tenants a basis to raise concerns if their building relies on a wire, chain, cable, vertical ladder, or rope fire-escape as a means of egress, since the statute expressly declares such devices unlawful. Tenants who believe their building has a non-compliant or prohibited fire-escape may consider filing a complaint with the local housing or building department, or raising the violation in a housing court proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how § 232 interacts with other housing code protections and what general enforcement paths may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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