Find out what to do if there is a fire in your tower block and how the fire safety features in your building help keep you safe.
If there is a fire
If there is a fire in your flat
- Leave your flat immediately if it is safe to do so.
- Close the doors behind you as you leave.
- Leave the building by the nearest safe exit.
- Call 999 and ask for the fire service.
- Give the address and postcode.
If there is a fire in the building and you are in your flat
- Follow the evacuation strategy for your building.
- Remain in your flat.
- Keep doors and windows closed.
- When the fire brigade arrives, they will assess the situation and help with evacuation if needed.
- If you hear the fire alarm, leave your flat, close the door behind you and exit the building.
If you discover a fire in a communal or external area
- If you are in a communal area, leave the building immediately by the nearest safe exit.
- If you are outside the building, do not enter the building.
- Call 999 and ask for the fire service.
- Give the address and postcode.
How to leave the building
- Do not use lifts.
- Leave your personal belongings behind.
- Move to a safe location away from the building.
- Do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so.
After a fire
Once the fire has been extinguished, we will make sure the building is safe to re-occupy.
If your home cannot be occupied safely, we will help arrange alternative accommodation.
We understand that experiencing a fire could be extremely distressing. We are committed to helping you recover from a fire, should one occur. Speak to customer services if you need support.
If you need help to evacuate
We recognise that some residents may be particularly vulnerable during a fire. Some residents may have difficulty evacuating their flat independently because of a disability, health condition or reduced mobility. Others may not be able to hear an alarm.
We are committed to helping to plan for the safety of all our residents. For anyone that needs help or support, we will:
- provide a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) that sets out how you can evacuate safely yourself or receive assistance in an emergency
- carry out a Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA) where we will discuss your needs and decide how best to help you keep safe from fire
We are here to help. If your condition changes, email landlordservices@oxford.gov.uk or speak to customer services.
Preventing fires
Read Fire safety for council housing tenants for advice on preventing fires in your home.
If you have concerns about fire safety in your building, contact the Building Safety Resident Engagement Officer by email towerblocks@oxford.gov.uk or call 07485 975203.
Fire safety equipment in your building
Your building has fire safety features designed to help protect residents and allow firefighters to respond to an emergency. Find out what you can do to keep them working effectively.
Communal fire detection and alarm system
Your building has a communal alarm system with heat and smoke detectors in each flat, and smoke detectors in the communal areas.
If you hear the communal fire alarm:
- leave the building immediately
- do not re-enter until Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service or the Council says it is safe to do so
The fire alarm panel is in the ground floor lobby. Report any fault warnings, beeping or damage immediately by speaking to customer services.
Do not cover, remove or interfere with the fire detection and alarm system equipment. It is vital for the protection of all residents.
Fire-resistant walls and floors (compartmentation)
Your building is built using fire-resistant walls and floors around flats. These, along with your flat entrance fire door, will contain a fire to the flat in which it starts for a period of time, giving you time to escape.
Do not allow anyone to create holes in your flat walls or floors. Report any damage by speaking to customer services.
Sprinkler systems
Sprinkler systems are installed in your flat and in some communal areas, including bin sheds and resident storage cupboards.
To keep them working properly:
- do not tamper with the sprinkler system
- do not obstruct sprinkler heads with furniture or appliances
- do not paint over sprinkler heads
- do not hang anything from sprinkler heads
Report any leaks, damage or faults as soon as possible by speaking to customer services.
We are legally required to check sprinkler systems in flats and storage cupboards every year.
You must provide access when inspections are arranged. Failure to provide access may result in legal action being taken against you in accordance with the terms of your tenancy or lease agreement.
Fire doors inside your flat
The internal doors in your flat should provide some level of protection against fire, even if they are not designated fire doors.
To improve your safety:
- close your doors at night, especially the kitchen and living room doors
- close doors behind you when escaping from a fire, if it is safe to do so
- keep fire doors closed when they are not in use
Your flat entrance door
Do not remove or tamper with your flat entrance door or the fire doors in your flat. Doing so is a criminal offence and you may be prosecuted.
Your flat entrance door is designed to contain fire and smoke inside your flat. It should help protect you, your family and your neighbours while exiting the building.
To improve your safety:
- report any faults or missing items on your fire entrance door, such as self-closing device, intumescent strips or smoke seals
- close your flat entrance door behind you if leaving due to a fire in your flat
- do not drill or screw anything into the fire entrance door or frame
Flat entrance door checks
If you live in a building that is over 11 metres, we are legally required to inspect your fire doors every year. You must provide our contractor access to enable them to do this.
Failure to do so may lead to legal action being taken against you in accordance with the terms of your tenancy or lease agreement.
Fire doors in communal areas
Fire doors in the communal areas protect staircases and other escape routes from smoke. Do not wedge these doors open.
We are responsible for inspecting these every 3 months.
Report any faults or damage immediately by speaking to customer services.
Statutory checks
In buildings over 11 meters, we check all communal fire safety equipment every month. We record these checks and information about these checks can be provided to residents on request.
Smoke ventilation
In many council-owned buildings, there are windows or openings that are designed to keep escape routes clear of smoke.
These can be used by firefighters during a fire to keep escape routes clear.
Do not interfere with this equipment. It can be critical to keeping you, your family, your neighbours and firefighters safe.
Escape routes
It is vitally important that everyone can escape quickly in the event of fire.
Do not install locks or security gates on any escape routes.
Wayfinding signs
If your building is over 11 metres high, there is a requirement to have wayfinding signs for firefighters in an emergency. These signs must be provided on every floor.
Do not tamper with or remove any fire notices or signs.
Access and facilities for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
It is vital that Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service can quickly get to any fire in or around your building.
To help them:
- do not block hydrants (which are coloured yellow)
- do not block dry riser outlets or inlets
- do not block vehicle access routes
- do not install security gates to your flat
Secure information boxes
We have provided secure information boxes (SIBs) in all our buildings over 11 metres. These contain information for use by firefighters in an emergency.
Fire safety checks in your building
For buildings over 18 metres high, we:
- carry out a Type 1 Fire Risk Assessment every year
- review the Fire Risk Assessment in the anniversary month of the Type 1 Fire Risk Assessment
We are also carrying out a substantial programme of fire safety checks and improvement works. These include:
- appointing a Building Safety Manager to improve resident safety and engagement
- preparing Building Safety Cases for all buildings over 18 metres
- carrying out regular fire risk assessments and reviews
- carrying out regular fire door and housekeeping checks
- undertaking resident inspections with council officers to identify fire safety concerns
- carrying out testing and maintenance of relevant fire safety equipment
Information in other formats
This information can be made available in alternative formats, including braille and voice recording and in different languages. If you require further assistance, please speak to customer services.
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