Smoke in the stairway? Stay in the apartment, keep doors and windows closed and wait for fire department

Staying in an apartment is usually the safest place to be during a fire if the fire is elsewhere in the apartment building.

Close doors and windows in case of fire

During a fire, it is important to close tightly the doors and windows of your own apartment so that smoke does not spread into there. If a fire breaks out in your own apartment, get out quickly and close the door behind you to prevent smoke spreading to the stairway.

If there is smoke in the stairway, you should not enter, as even a few breaths can be life-threatening. Although the doors in the apartments are designed to prevent the spread of smoke and hold fire for at least 30 minutes, it is a good idea to block all small gaps around the door with wet towels or carpets to prevent the spread of smoke.

Doors and windows left open are too often the cause of fire and smoke spreading

Statistics clearly show that open doors and windows are a major single cause of the rapid spread of fire and smoke.

"An open door works like a chimney that draws smoke and flames quickly into stairway and other rooms. Therefore, it is important to close the door behind when escaping from a burning apartment. The door to the stairway should certainly not be left open if there is a fire in the apartment,” says Tomi Timonen, Training Director from the Finnish Association of Fire Officers. "Exiting the apartment is only safe when the stairway is completely smoke-free. If there is even a little smoke, it is better to go back to the apartment and close the door.”

According to the statistics*, there were 1,148 fires in apartment buildings in 2025 in Finland. In 69 cases fire spread from one fire compartment to another, and nearly half of them were spread because doors or windows were open. 

Simple action — closing doors and windows, avoiding a smoky stairway, and calling to the Emergency number 112 — can considerably slow down the spreading of a fire and save lives. Also, do not use elevator during a fire as it may stop on a smokey floor, or stop working in during the drive.

Living in apartment building is safe when residents know how to act in the case of fire and smoke detectors are in order.

"Smoke is killing: only couple breath of smoke may be life threatening. Smoke also travels quickly, fills the spaces and, in addition, spreads the fire." Timonen sums up. 

Don't leave the burning apartment door open even for firefighters

Firefighters will search the apartments and evacuate people from them. Pets will also be rescued. During a fire, be near a window or balcony if you can so that the firefighters see you better. Call the Emergency number 112 and give the exact address of the house with apartment number.

The door to a burning apartment should never be left open even for firefighters. The main door down at the stairway may be left open for firefighters. It helps them to start the fire fighting operation quickly.

In the event of a fire in an apartment building, remember these facts

If a fire breaks out in your own apartment

• First, try to extinguish the fire if you can do it safely. Use fire blanket, hand held fire extinguisher or water to extinguish the fire. Then call 112.
• Remember to close the windows and doors. Prevent the spread of fire and smoke to the stairway or another apartment. The fire can also spread from the outside.
• Escape the smoky apartment and help others to escape when needed. Crawl or walk low in smokey spaces.

If a fire breaks out outside your own apartment

• Stay in your apartment.
• Close the doors and windows preventing the smoke spreading to your apartment. The doors to the apartments keep the fire out at least 30 minutes protecting the apartment from fire. Therefore it is safer to stay in the apartment than to go to the smoky stairwell.
• Rescuers indicate when it is safe to leave the apartment. They'll check that no fire and smoke exists in adjacent apartments or the stairwell.
• If help is delayed, call 112.

It is important to understand that smoke is dangerous and that fire and smoke spread through open doors and windows.

*Finnish Rescue Service's resource and accident statistics (PRONTO)