Should you evacuate or stay put when a fire occurs? New York firefighters provide clarification.

On January 2022, a fire broke out in an apartment building in the Bronx borough of New York City, resulting in the tragic death of 17 people. During a community meeting organized by the New York City Police Department’s Crime Prevention Bureau in Flushing on May 29, firefighters from the New York City Fire Department emphasized that the high casualties in the fire were due to residents not knowing the proper evacuation procedures. They took the opportunity to educate the Chinese community on how to correctly escape a fire.

One of the firefighters, Heil St. Hill, from the New York City Fire Department, explained that when a building is on fire, the decision to evacuate or stay put depends on the type of building you are in. Different residential buildings require different responses in the event of a fire. Generally, buildings taller than 7 stories are considered fireproof buildings, constructed with materials like concrete to prevent or delay the spread of fire. If unsure if your building is fireproof, you can call 311 with your address to inquire.

Heil advised that the first step is to determine the type of building you are in. In a fireproof building, if the fire is not in your unit, it is best to stay in your unit, close the door to prevent smoke from entering, and if there are gaps under the door, you can block them with a wet towel to keep out smoke.

In a fireproof building, the real danger during a fire is smoke, as it can travel through corridors and into stairwells. In the case of the fire in the Bronx where 17 people died, the fire started on a lower floor, but people perished in the corridors and stairwells upstairs, indicating they were not aware that the building was fireproof. In such situations, it is better to stay in your unit. Unfortunately, some individuals attempted to evacuate the building after seeing smoke, assuming they needed to leave the building.

“Remember, in a fireproof building, if the fire is not in your unit, it is best to stay in your unit,” emphasized Heil.

However, in a non-fireproof building, if a fire breaks out in any unit, even if it’s not yours, it is advisable to try to evacuate the building as fires can spread rapidly. This doesn’t mean walking through smoke; if you see smoke, use fire escapes or other means to escape.

During evacuation, it is crucial to close the doors behind you as you leave your apartment. This action helps contain the fire and smoke, potentially saving the lives of others in the building. In the fire where 17 people died, the door where the fire originated was open, allowing smoke to fill the corridors and stairwells. Therefore, closing doors behind you while evacuating is crucial.

The New York City Fire Department has a website dedicated to spreading fire safety knowledge, FDNYsmart.org. The site offers the Fire Department’s official “Fire and Life Safety Guide,” which includes a Chinese version, to help educate residents on fire safety measures.