Two-storey fire escape ladder
Updated: October 2026
A two-storey fire escape ladder is the one you would throw from a first-floor bedroom when the stair is blocked. In the UK that length is about 4.3–4.5 m from the sill to the landing, and a 2 m or 3 m rope with a two-storey title is a different product. This page stays on that one height. The wider set is on the [rescue ladder comparison](/hub/workshop/rescue-ladder). Prices are amazon.co.uk shelf figures from 19 October 2026. We compared the listings and the maker sheets. We did not certify a ladder, and a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
A two-storey fire escape ladder is the one you would throw from a first-floor bedroom when the stair is blocked.
A two-storey fire escape ladder is the one you would throw from a first-floor bedroom when the stair is blocked. In the UK that length is about 4.3–4.5 m from the sill to the landing, and a 2 m or 3 m rope with a two-storey title is a different product. This page stays on that one height. The wider set is on the rescue ladder comparison. Prices are amazon.co.uk shelf figures from 19 October 2026. We compared the listings and the maker sheets. We did not certify a ladder, and a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stated length | Stated limit | Fixing | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Kidde Kidde KL-2S | About 3.9 m | About 4.2 m | Wall to 11 in | 6.7 | about £53.44 | View offer |
 Firechief Firechief FEL430 | 4.30 m | Up to 4.65 m | Sill to 340 mm | 7.8 | about £54.99 | View offer | |
| Best value |  JAOGAUS JAOGAUS 5 m | 5 m | Rope, not a hook | Carabiners and screws | 6.3 | about £25.99 | View offer |
On this page
What two-storey means in metres
Fire-equipment retailers use about 4.3–4.5 m for two storeys and about 7.3–7.6 m for three. The measurement that matters is sill to the surface you would step onto, taken on your window. Firechief's FEL430 datasheet states 4.30 m and limits that model to 4.65 m. The bullets repeat 4.30 m. If your drop is 5.5 m, you are outside this page.
Kidde's feature line says 13 feet. The maker sheet puts the KL-2S at about 3.9 m and says to keep it to about 4.2 m. That is shorter than Firechief's 4.30 m. How to take the tape is on the fire escape ladder buying guide.
The two hook ladders in this set
Only two ASINs here are hook ladders in this band. Firechief FEL430 is the top pick when your drop is near 4.30 m and the sill is inside 340 mm, with an opening at least 300 mm wide. UK reviews describe the deployment as one-time use. The maker page lists Approvals as n/a.
Kidde KL-2S sits at a captured shelf price of £53.44, and a bestseller view already showed £61.25. The maker limits are a wall no thicker than 11 inches and a window at least 16 inches wide. A 300 mm cavity wall is past the Kidde sheet and still inside the Firechief sheet. Past 340 mm, neither printed limit covers you. Who should skip each listing is on the best fire escape ladder page.
Lengths that are not this page
The EMEKIAN title is 2 m / 6.6 ft. The LZ.MZXU 3 m title is 3 m / 9.8 ft. On a 4.4 m first-floor drop both finish in the air. JAOGAUS and XINSHUNCAN are 5 m ropes: carabiners, not a sill hook. A UK review of a 5 m rope from a first-floor balcony finished about a metre short of the ground. The bottom step has to land.
First floor only
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service limits a window escape to the ground or the first floor. If you are higher, you wait for firefighters. A two-storey ladder is for that first-floor case, after the stair is blocked. It is not a route from a second floor or a loft.
A new storey more than 4.5 m above ground level is a protected-stair problem under Approved Document B. That 4.5 m is a building threshold, not a claim that a 4.5 m ladder makes an upper storey compliant. The Fire Safety Order 2005 does not apply to a single private home the way it applies to common parts. Outside both hook limits, this page has no third hook ladder to offer.
Common questions
How long is a two-storey fire escape ladder in the UK?
Retailers treat about 4.3–4.5 m as a two-storey length and about 7.3–7.6 m as three-storey. Firechief's FEL430 datasheet states 4.30 m and limits that model to 4.65 m. Kidde's KL-2S sheet is about 3.9 m, with a limit around 4.2 m. Measure from your sill to the landing. A high brick sill or a dropped patio can sit outside the average even when the house is two storeys.
Is 4.30 m enough for a first-floor window?
It is enough when your own tape, from that sill to the surface you step onto, is within the FEL430 limits: 4.30 m stated, and not above 4.65 m. The datasheet also wants the bottom step close enough to step off. A 4.30 m ladder on a 5 m drop leaves you in the air. The bullet length is the one to use. The listing's 4.5 m height field and its steps field of 4 disagree with it.
What is the difference between the Firechief 4.30 m and the Kidde 13 ft ladder?
Firechief's bullets say 4.30 m, with hooks for a sill up to 340 mm, at £54.99. Kidde's listing says 13 feet, while the maker sheet says about 3.9 m and a wall of at most 11 inches, at a captured shelf price of £53.44. Both state 450 kg. UK reviews say the Kidde hook fails typical cavity walls. Firechief reviews describe one-time use once the strap is open. The Kidde rating file is much larger and mixes countries.
What sill and opening do these two hook ladders ask for?
Firechief's FEL430 datasheet allows a sill up to 340 mm and an opening at least 300 mm wide, with treads of 300 mm. Kidde's sheet allows a wall up to 11 inches, about 280 mm, and wants an opening at least 16 inches. Measure from the inside face to the outside face. A cavity wall around 300 mm can pass the Firechief number and fail the Kidde number. Past 340 mm, neither limit in this set covers the sill.
Can I use a two-storey ladder from a loft or a second floor?
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service limits a window escape to the ground or the first floor. A loft or a second floor is the case where you stay, call 999 and wait. A new storey more than 4.5 m above ground is a protected-stair question under Approved Document B. Buying a longer rope does not answer that building rule. Speak to Building Control or a fire-risk assessor before you treat a loft window as an escape.
What if the bottom step does not reach the ground?
You do not climb. Firechief's datasheet wants the bottom step close enough to step off, and UK fire-service advice is to avoid a jump. A review of a 5 m rope from a first-floor balcony finished about a metre short. If your tape says the ladder will finish in the air, you plan to wait at the window, or you look at a longer length you have checked. Guessing the last metre is how people get hurt.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Fire safety in the home (retrieved October 2026)
- Fire Safety Order 2005, article 6 (retrieved October 2026)
- Approved Document B volume 1: dwellings (retrieved October 2026)
- Ladder Association: EN 131 (retrieved October 2026)
- Safelincs: fire escape ladder information (retrieved October 2026)
- Fire Protection Online: escape ladder length (retrieved October 2026)
- Firechief FEL430 datasheet (retrieved October 2026)
- Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service: fire escape plans (retrieved October 2026)