House fire: what to do to get everyone out

Your life first. Everything else can be replaced.

The answer in 2 lines. If there's a fire, your priority is to get out, stay out and call 911, not to save your things. Close doors behind you to slow the fire and smoke, crawl low under smoke, and never take the elevator. Meet at a spot outside agreed in advance. Working smoke alarms on every level and an escape plan you've practiced give you precious minutes, especially at night.

The first 3 steps

Get everyone out right away. Don't stop for belongings.
Close doors behind you, stay low under smoke, and use the stairs, never the elevator.
Call 911 from outside and stay out. Tell firefighters if someone is still inside.

Stop: danger

Smoke kills more often than flames: it's toxic and can knock you out within minutes.
Water on a grease fire makes burning oil explode out of the pan.
Elevators can stop or open onto a smoke-filled floor during a fire.
Never go back inside a burning building, for anything.

The fire is in your home

Get everyone out without wasting time.
Before opening a door, feel it with the back of your hand. If it's hot, use another way out.
Close doors behind you: a closed door slows fire and smoke.
If there's smoke, get low and go under it.
If your clothes catch fire: stop, drop and roll.

Fire elsewhere in your apartment building

If the stairway is clear, leave and close your door behind you. If the hallway or stairs are full of smoke, staying in your apartment with the door closed may be safer: smoke is the main danger. Follow your building's fire safety plan if it has one.

Put wet towels or tape along the bottom of the door to keep smoke out.
Call 911 and say exactly where you are.
Go to a window and signal to firefighters, without jumping.

Grease fire on the stove: never water

Turn off the burner.
Slide a lid or a baking sheet over the pan. Don't carry the pan.
Leave it covered until it's completely cool.
For a small fire inside a closed oven or microwave, turn it off and keep the door shut.
If the fire doesn't go out right away: get out, close the door, call 911.

What not to do

Leaving cooking unattended on the stove.
Plugging power strips into other power strips or running cords under rugs.
Leaving space heaters near curtains, bedding or furniture.
Taking the battery out of a smoke alarm because it beeps when you cook.

After the fire

Don't go back in until the fire department says it's safe.
Call your insurance company as soon as you can; take photos and list damaged items.
Renters: tell your landlord right away. Your belongings are covered only by renters insurance.
The American Red Cross helps families after home fires with immediate needs like shelter and supplies.

Good to know

Make an escape plan with two ways out of every room and practice it twice a year with everyone at home.
Test smoke alarms once a month: see our guide on smoke alarms.
Sleep with bedroom doors closed: it can slow fire and smoke.

On the fourth floor of a building in Miami, Andre is frying plantains when his phone rings. He leaves the kitchen for a few minutes and the oil catches fire. He turns off the burner, slides a lid over the pan and doesn't move it. He leaves it covered until it's cool, then airs out the kitchen. Nobody is hurt.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on October 18, 2026, for the United States. Confidence: high for the get-out, stay-out, call-911 steps and the grease-fire advice; medium for what to do when smoke fills a shared hallway, which depends on your building. The U.S. Fire Administration's latest published national residential fire estimates cover 2023; figures for 2024 to 2026 are not published there yet. This guide describes common cases, not a diagnosis.