# I'm trapped inside my apartment building! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2007, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475 "2007-09-17T09:43:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/1 "2007-09-17T09:43:12Z")
I’m trapped inside my apartment building. I went downstairs to leave and go to work, and the door wouldn’t open. A fun call followed… “Oh yeah. It’s been reported. Someone should be there soon.” Well that’s just wonderful. Lets just hope there’s not a fire. And my manager believes me when I tell her why I’m late. This is just not a good start to the day. Fuck. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/2 "2007-09-17T09:51:35Z")
Does your local fire inspector know about this? He should. How could a building door possibly malfunction in such a way? You’re not living in one of those ancient castles you guys have over there, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/3 "2007-09-17T10:09:04Z")
See, you made a mistake in calling. You should have just kicked it open. You do that now, you’ll be a suspect. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/4 "2007-09-17T10:30:29Z")
**AngelicGemma** , silly question - but is this really the only exit you have available to you? Mind you, I can see why someone trying to go to work would prefer to avoid using some forms of fire exit, but your OP implies that in case of fire you’d be screwed. If that’s the case, why doesn’t UK law require at least two independent means of egress for fire safety? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/5 "2007-09-17T13:41:32Z")
The tone of this thread is best suited for MPSIMS. I’ll move it for you. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/6 "2007-09-17T14:03:25Z")
I’m guessing there is an alternative method of egress, but it’ll set off building-wide fire alarms etc. or be via an external fire escape which isn’t really practical for day to day access. That’s what i’m hoping anyway. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/7 "2007-09-17T15:10:59Z")
Ooh, I know this one. You’ll have to get out through a hole in your bathroom wall. You should take some kind of weapon with you. ---
**Author:** ![zelie\_zelerton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/59ef9b/32.png) [@zelie\_zelerton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zelie_zelerton)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/8 "2007-09-17T15:51:15Z")
There’s no requirement here for having a second exit for emergencies. In reality it would be too hard to enforce given the age of so many buildings. It is entirely possible that this is enforced for new buildings though. If anyone is desperately interested I suppose they could google themselves up the info. I’m not going to cos I doubt anyone is that bored. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/9 "2007-09-17T15:59:37Z")
You shoulda just pulled the fire alarm instead of calling. I’m sure the nice fire persons would make short work of the door for you. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/10 "2007-09-17T17:02:30Z")
[QUOTE=zelie zelerton] There’s no requirement here for having a second exit for emergencies. [/QUOTE] :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/11 "2007-09-17T17:42:39Z")
Uh, about that door you’ve been tugging on to no avail? The one with the big letters P-U-S-H on it? Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/12 "2007-09-17T20:21:48Z")
Well, did you get out? Or are you still imprisoned? ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/13 "2007-09-17T20:32:07Z")
For any Brit Dopers the follwong link is a hugely useful resource, > **[Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-housing-communities-and-local-government)** This used to be the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and it has information on a very wide range of subjects including approved codes of practice for just about every health & safety issue - Its a better site to search than the Health & Safety Executive and it has more publications for downloads including research reports. meanwhile… The exit requirements for the building under UK fire codes depends upon the types of building and its useage. [http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw/](http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw/) If its a bed and breakfast with less than 6 people living on the first floor, then you would be ok with just a front door. Once you start to get to multi-occupancy it changes dramatically. I happen to have a lot of material on this very subject, but its no good to you as its in various publications in my own filing cabinets. It depends on what sort of accommodation you are living in, if you can tell me the type, then I can find out more for you. Here is a general code of practice [http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/142091](http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/142091) It’s quite long, but in it you will find some material relating to timely repairs and also what you should have with regard to fire safety. [http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/](http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/) There’s a huge amount of stuff here. This might be more useful as it has downloads to the guides on fire safety for sleeping accommodation. [http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw/](http://www.communities.gov.uk/fire/firesafety/firesafetylaw/) ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/14 "2007-09-17T20:32:50Z")
Just to address what a few posters said. Yes, there is only one door in and out of the building. The building itself is only 5 years old. Not the smartest design. The only other way out would have been to smash a window in the ground floor hall. I did consider calling the fire brigade, but as their [last visit](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=385380) to the building was due to me, I wasn’t in a hurry to call them. The building manager also reassured me he was sending some straight away. I was about to call him again to say I was calling the fire brigade when help arrived. So yeah, I managed to leave the building and get to work. I really shouldn’t have bothered. It ended up being on of those days. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/15 "2007-09-17T20:48:53Z")
[QUOTE=AngelicGemma] So yeah, I managed to leave the building and get to work. I really shouldn’t have bothered. It ended up being on of those days. [/QUOTE] Oy! Can we offer some tea and sympathy, at least? (Well, the sympathy part - tea does bad things to my modem.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/16 "2007-09-17T21:14:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Ooh, I know this one. You’ll have to get out through a hole in your bathroom wall. You should take some kind of weapon with you. Don’t forget the wooden stakes. ---
**Author:** ![TPWombat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbce88/32.png) [@TPWombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TPWombat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/17 "2007-09-18T19:18:55Z")
And a light source. You don’t want to be eaten by a grue. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/18 "2007-09-18T19:34:42Z")
They couldn’t have somebody in that rental in the USA. They must have at least two exists. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/19 "2007-09-18T19:58:20Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] They couldn’t have somebody in that rental in the USA. They must have at least two exists. [/QUOTE] In Ontario, at least, one of the exits can be a window uncer certain curcumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475/20 "2007-09-18T20:13:54Z")
[QUOTE=TPWombat] And a light source. You don’t want to be eaten by a grue. [/QUOTE] Hah! Is ‘Wombat’ a British thing? You’re not the first person from Britain I’ve seen use that internet handle. … or maybe you’re the same person. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-trapped-inside-my-apartment-building/419475.md?page=2)