High-rise fire safety

The best way to keep you and your family safe is to prevent fires from occurring and know what to do in case of a fire.

High-rise fire safety tips

Make sure BBQs and heaters on balconies are at least a metre away from all objects. Turn off when not in use.

Know where the fire exits, fire stairs and firefighting equipment are located.

Make and practice an escape plan with your family. Decide on a safe meeting place outside and away from the building.

NEVER prop open fire doors or leave anything in fire stairs.

Do not overcrowd. Too many people living in one room increases the risk of fire.

Extinguish cigarettes properly in a deep ashtray.

What to do in case of a fire

Respond immediately when alerted to a fire in your building. Evacuate to your pre-planned safe meeting place.

Don’t waste time investigating what’s happened or trying to save valuables.

Stay calm and get everyone out as quickly as possible.

Don’t use lifts in a fire. Use emergency exits or fire stairs. Fire stairs provide a path leading you to a safe place away from the building.

Get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000). Never go back inside a burning building.

Related fire safety info sheets

Cooking fire safety

Keep looking when cooking! The leading cause of home fires in NSW is leaving cooking unattended.

Smoke alarms

It's the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.

Common home fires

If you do your bit to minimise the risks in your home, we can all stay safer together.

Did you know?


The use of heaters, cigarettes and candles are common causes of fires.


When you're asleep, you won't smell the smoke from a fire.


You're twice as likely to die in a home fire if you don't have a working smoke alarm.

Fire and Rescue NSW responds to approximately
4500
residential fires each year.
Half of these fires start in the kitchen, mostly due to unattended cooking.


Electrical appliances and faults cause almost 40% of home fires.