If the fire is in your flat then: Only tackle the fire if it is safe to do so. If the fire is bigger than a waste paper bin, or smoke is making you cough, then do not tackle it. Instead, leave your belongings behind and get out! Stay out! Take everyone else with you, leave the room and your flat, and close all doors behind you. If there is a lot of smoke, crawl as near to the ground as possible as you will breathe more easily. Ring the Fire Service on 999 and follow their advice. Do not open any doors which are warm when you touch them with the back of your hand, as the fire is probably behind them. If you need to leave the building then use the stairs. Do not use the lift.
If there is a fire in another flat then: Stay in your flat but close the doors to prevent smoke from entering. Ring the Fire Service on 999 and follow their advice – leave if they tell you to do so or if a lot of smoke enters your flat and starts to make you cough. If you need to leave the building then use the stairs, not the lift.
What if you can not get out of your flat because of the fire? Get everyone into one room and close the door. Smoke and fumes can kill people quickly so put bedding and wet towels along the bottom of the door to seal the gap. Open the window and stay near it for fresh air and to make sure that the fire fighters see you. Ring the Fire Service on 999 and clearly tell them where you are – if you can not speak to the Fire Service then, try to signal so that people outside can see you.
What about escaping from a window? If you are near the ground floor and you are able to escape, throw soft bedding out of the window to break your fall and lower yourself (and others as far as possible down before dropping to the ground. Cover any broken glass with bedding to prevent injury.
Do not go back into your flat once you have left. Even if you have left personal belongings or pets behind, once you have left your property then you should never go back. You should only return when the Fire Service tells you that it is safe to do so.