Fire Safety

Fire doors create a barrier from fire and toxic smoke. They prevent them from travelling around a building during a fire. This keeps the damage to a small area, allowing for occupants to either evacuate as instructed, and allows safe access for the emergency services.

In a block of flats, you will find fire and smoke doors on the stairwells, the corridors and on the flat front doors. You will also see them protecting areas where there is a risk of combustion, such as bin storage or mains electricity service cupboard. Sometimes you will find fire doors inside flats, but this depends on the specific design and layout of the individual flat.

• They are specifically designed to withstand fire for up to 30 minutes.
• They are a legal requirement for flats which open onto communal areas shared with other tenants. This is to make sure crucial escape routes are protected if a fire breaks out.
• They are designed to automatically close behind you in the event of fire, holding flames back and stopping the spread of the fire and toxic smoke into escape routes, corridors, and other flats in the block

Your Landlord/Building Owner will have legal responsibility for the fire doors in the common areas of the building and many will publish information in the tenants or resident’s handbook. The Managing Agent will annually update all occupants with Fire Door Information and as and when new regulations are introduced.