§ 18-6. Fire exits.

(a)

No person shall at any time place any encumbrance of any kind whatsoever before or on any fire escape, balcony or ladder intended as a means of escape from fire. It shall be the duty of every member of the police and fire departments who discovers any fire escape encumbered in any manner to report the fact through his department channels to the chief of the fire department, who shall immediately notify the owner, agent or tenant involved to remove such encumbrance. It shall be unlawful for the person so notified to fail to comply promptly with the notice.

(b)

In every building or structure open to the general public, means of egress shall be so maintained as to provide free and unobstructed egress from all parts of the building or structure at all times, and so as to be available for full instant use in case of fire and required aisles shall be maintained free of all obstructions. Where the chief of the fire department or his designee shall find a means of egress, aisles, corridors or passageways to be obstructed by movable objects or other encumbrance, he may require the immediate removal of such objects or encumbrance.

(c)

Every exit which is required to be illuminated and required to have an approved exit sign, whether illuminated internally or externally, shall be maintained at all times.

(Code 1985, § 96.06)

State law reference

Fire escapes, G.S. 69-8 et seq.