Cal. Civ. Code § 58
Cellar ceiling
Operative Text
§ 58. Cellar ceiling. The ceiling of the cellar shall be fire-retarded or be equipped with a sprinkler system, or the entire cellar shall be equipped with a fire-detecting system. Any room within the dwelling in which a boiler or furnace is used for generating heat or hot water to service the dwelling shall be enclosed with fire-retarded partitions and every door opening therefrom and its assembly shall be fireproof with the door self-closing. The ceiling of such room shall also be fire-retarded or be equipped with a sprinkler system, or the room shall be equipped with a fire-detecting system.
Under N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 58, cellar ceilings in multiple residences must meet one of three fire-safety standards: fire-retardant treatment, a sprinkler system, or a fire-detection system. Any room housing a boiler or furnace used to supply heat or hot water must be enclosed by fire-retardant partitions, with every door from that room being fireproof and self-closing. The ceiling of that mechanical room is subject to the same three-option fire-safety requirement as the cellar ceiling.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings subject to N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 58 generally ensure that cellar ceilings are treated with fire-retardant materials, fitted with sprinklers, or covered by a fire-detection system—and that at least one of those same options is applied to the ceiling of any boiler or furnace room. Compliant operators also enclose boiler and furnace rooms with fire-retardant partitions and install fireproof, self-closing doors on every opening from those rooms. Routine inspections and documentation of these installations help demonstrate ongoing compliance with § 58's requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in multiple dwellings have an interest in knowing that N.Y. Mult. Resid. Law § 58 requires specific fire-safety measures in cellars and mechanical rooms, including fire-retardant materials, sprinklers, or detection systems, as well as enclosed and properly doored boiler and furnace rooms. If these protections appear to be absent or inadequate, tenants may consider reporting the condition to the local housing or building code enforcement agency, or raising the violation in any relevant housing proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how § 58 applies to their building 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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.