Exit Advice needed

[Guest Jordan]

Hi all, 

Our basement is already converted and is in a habitable condition. It as two fire exits, one being via the internal staircase leading to the ground floor of our flat, then the second is an external leading to our front garden via concrete stairs. So this means the basement has its own private access. 

We regularly have family/friends visit who sleep down there but we are in much need of extra storage, so we are wanting to use the stairs as a means of storage)ie like a loft space) which will obviously block the internal fire exit off completely. 

This still leaves an exit route via the basement door by using the stairs connecting to the front garden. Next to this front door there is two bottom open windows at chest height. (These are the only windows in the basement as its a terrace)

My question is, will we be imposing fire exit/safety regulations if we used the internal stairs as storage and the only fire exit was that door?

- For arguments sake, forbid that there were a fire at the front of the room where the exit door is, what would our situation be if that person/people died from not being able to get out because the internal route was blocked by our storage? 

ie- Is it legal to have one fire exit?

Additional info: we have two smoke/fire alarms installed at front and back of basement and a small general extinguisher.

Any insight to where we stand on this would be great. 

Many thanks, 

 

Jordan

[Tom Sutton]

Without conducting a physical survey and much more information, it is impossible to say I would suggest yo employ a fire safety consultant.