Cal. Civ. Code § 133
Fire-escapes
Operative Text
§ 133. Fire-escapes. 1. Every fire-escape shall be located, arranged, constructed and maintained in accordance with the following provisions: a. Each fire-escape shall be accessible to one or more exterior doors or windows opening from the room, apartment or suite, and such window or door shall be two feet or more in clear width and two feet six inches or more in clear height. The sill of any such window shall be within three feet of the floor. b. Access to any fire-escape shall not be through any public toilet, or be obstructed by any bathroom fixture, kitchen fixture, sink, or in any other way. Bars, grilles, gates or other obstructing devices on any window or door giving access to any fire-escape shall be unlawful. A required fire-escape shall never include a window of a stair hall or public stairs. c. Every fire-escape shall be constructed of open balconies and stairways of incombustible material and designed to support a uniformly distributed live load of at least eighty pounds per square foot. The use of cast iron in the construction of fire-escapes shall be unlawful. d. No fire-escape shall be removed from or erected upon any multiple dwelling without a permit from the department. No fire-escape shall be removed or replaced unless a secondary means of egress is available or provided in lieu thereof. 2. a. Every balcony for a fire-escape shall be three feet or more in clear width. b. Every lowest balcony more than five feet above a safe landing beneath shall have a drop ladder fifteen inches in width and of sufficient length to reach such landing. Such ladder shall be held in a proper position at all times, and, unless properly counterbalanced, shall be placed in guides so that it can be lowered easily. The lowest balcony shall not be more than fourteen feet above the ground or safe landing place beneath. c. Every stairway shall be placed at an angle of sixty degrees or less with steps at least six inches in width and twenty inches in length and with a maximum rise of nine inches. The opening in any balcony for such a stairway shall be at least twenty-one by twenty-eight inches. d. A stairway shall be provided from every balcony on the top story to the roof of a multiple dwelling three or more stories in height except where the roof is sloped or pitched in excess of fifteen degrees.
N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 133 establishes detailed physical standards for fire escapes on multiple dwellings in New York, covering how they must be accessed, built, and maintained. The rule requires that access points — doors or windows — meet minimum size requirements and remain completely unobstructed, explicitly prohibiting bars, grilles, gates, or fixtures that would block egress. Fire escapes must be built from non-combustible materials capable of bearing specified load weights, and any removal or replacement requires a permit and a substitute means of egress. Dimensional requirements for balconies, drop ladders, stairways, and roof access are also prescribed to ensure a functional and safe escape path.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings subject to N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 133 generally ensure that every fire escape remains fully accessible at all times — meaning no bars, grilles, bathroom fixtures, kitchen equipment, or other obstructions are placed on or near access windows and doors. Compliant operators verify that access openings meet the minimum width and height dimensions set out in § 133 and that balconies, drop ladders, and stairways conform to the structural and dimensional standards specified in the provision. Any planned removal, replacement, or new installation of a fire escape requires a permit from the relevant department, and a secondary means of egress must be available before an existing fire escape is taken down. Routine inspections of load-bearing capacity, materials, and ladder operability are consistent with the maintenance obligations the statute describes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 133, tenants in multiple dwellings have an interest in fire escapes that are unobstructed, properly constructed, and accessible through adequately sized doors or windows. If a fire escape access point is blocked by a fixture, a gate, bars, or any other obstruction — or if the fire escape itself appears structurally deficient — this may constitute a violation of § 133 that can be reported to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the relevant local housing authority. Tenants may also be able to raise a § 133 violation in housing court proceedings or through a local rent board if one applies to their building. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand what documentation to gather and which enforcement channels are 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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