Cal. Civ. Code § 27
Fire-escapes
Operative Text
§ 27. Fire-escapes. Wire, chain, cable, combustible, vertical ladder or rope fire-escapes shall not be accepted as a required or alternative means of egress and, unless such fire-escapes are supplemental to the means of egress required by section twenty-six, they shall be removed and replaced by a system of fire-escapes constructed and arranged as provided in section one hundred thirty-three. All fire-escapes erected on or after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-three, to serve as a second means of egress shall be in conformity with the provisions of section one hundred thirty-three. It shall be unlawful to remove any fire-escape without permission from the department. Such system shall be installed, arranged and maintained in a manner satisfactory to the department and in accordance with rules adopted by the commission.
New York Multiple Residence Law § 27 establishes which types of fire-escapes are legally acceptable in residential buildings. Wire, chain, cable, combustible, vertical ladder, and rope fire-escapes cannot serve as required or alternative means of egress; if they are not supplemental to a code-compliant egress system, they must be removed and replaced with fire-escapes meeting the standards set out in section 133. Any fire-escape installed on or after July 1, 1953, as a second means of egress must conform to section 133, and no fire-escape may be removed without departmental permission.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 27, compliant operators ensure that no prohibited fire-escape type — such as wire, rope, or vertical ladder designs — is counted toward required egress in their buildings. Where such structures exist only as supplements to a fully code-compliant egress system, they may remain, but non-conforming escapes that do not meet that supplemental standard are replaced with systems built to section 133 specifications. Operators also obtain departmental approval before removing any fire-escape and keep all fire-escape systems installed, arranged, and maintained in a manner satisfactory to the department and consistent with commission rules.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 27 gives tenants a basis to question whether their building's fire-escapes meet legally required egress standards, particularly if the structure relies on older wire, rope, or ladder-style escapes as a primary or alternative exit. If a fire-escape appears non-conforming or has been removed without authorization, tenants can document the condition and raise it as a potential housing code violation with the relevant local housing or building department. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how § 27 interacts with local enforcement processes and what options exist for reporting unsafe egress conditions.
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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