A fire escape is a metal stairway or ladder attached to the outside of a building that gives people a way to get out safely if a fire blocks the regular exits inside. If you've walked through a city with older apartment buildings, you've probably seen these zigzagging metal structures clinging to brick walls, with platforms at each floor and stairs connecting them.

Before fire escapes became common in the late 1800s, people trapped in burning buildings often had no way out. Fires spread quickly through wooden structures, and interior staircases would fill with smoke or flames. Fire escapes changed this by creating an alternate route. During a fire, residents could climb out their windows onto the fire escape and descend to street level without going through the burning building.

Today, fire escapes are less common in newer buildings, which have fireproof stairwells and better safety systems built right in. But you'll still spot them on older structures, and they've become such an iconic part of city architecture that movies and plays often feature scenes set on fire escape platforms. Some city dwellers even use their fire escape landings as tiny outdoor spaces on hot summer evenings, though this isn't always legal or safe.

The term can also mean any emergency exit or backup plan: if your first idea doesn't work, you might need a fire escape to get out of a difficult situation.