ROW HOUSE FIREFIGHTING TACTICS

Sample 1st Floor Plan

Front Entrance

A

15' 5.5'

B

40'

C

D

Horizontal and 

vertical fire spread 

in attic or cockloft

Windows, doors, and openings can 

create flow paths and spread fire Fires that start in a basement 

can spread vertically up walls 

to attic or cockloft due to a 

lack of fire wall or fire stops

Some row 

houses have a 

cellar below the 

basement level Vertical pipe chases 

often lack fire stops

1,000 sq ft-1,500 sq ft total

93 sq m-139 sq m

12'– 24' wide

4m– 6m

40'– 80' long 

12m– 24m

FIREFIGHTERS

STAY SAFE

FOLLOW THESE 

6 TACTICS

1

If interior 

unit, size-up 

Sides A and C; 

locate fire and 

extent; send 

resources to 

Side C

 2 Hoseline deployment:

• Fight fire on the level

of the fire (exterior

attack may be most

effective initially)

• Protect search

• Basement window

or door

• Side C through alley or

adjoining house

• Backup hoseline ready

• Use cellar nozzle to get water

into below grade areas

• Use piercing or cockloft

nozzle to get water into

void spaces

3

Coordinate 

ventilation 

with fire 

attack

4

Send 

resources 

inside to 

Exposure 

B and D

5

Send resources 

and charged 

hoseline to 

attic or cockloft 

to check for 

extension

6

Position ground 

ladders to all 

upper floor 

windows; use 

caution around 

utility wires

Note: Numbered tactics are not prioritized. cdc.gov/niosh/fire/
ROW HOUSE INFO & FEATURES

A TYPICAL 

ROW HOUSE

Photo courtesy of Christopher Naum

1 to 4 story residential house with a 

basement or cellar

Constructed in a row, often running the 

length of a block with 30–45 occupancies

Potentially occupied by multiple people

Attached to houses on both sides, with 

separating fire wall

Located on a narrow street

Accessible only from a front and rear door

TYPICAL 

FEATURES

EXTERIOR

ROW HOUSE

NARROW WINDOWS

FRONT STOOP (STEPS) 

leads to street

2ND & 3RD FLOOR ‛BAY’ 

3 or more windows that

extend from the structure

ORNATE CORNICES

SINGLE SLOPING ROOF

modest ornate wood

or brick cornice

INTERIOR

ROW HOUSE

SINGLE RUN, STEEP STAIRS

LONG, NARROW HALLWAYS

WALKOUT BASEMENT

BASEMENT and/or CELLAR

used for storage

CELLAR

only accessible from 

the basement

CONSTRUCTION

AND MATERIALS

BALLOON

frame construction

BUILDING PERIOD 

late 1800s to early 1900s

BRICK EXTERIOR WALLS

SOLID WOOD BEAM

floor joists and roof rafters

PLASTER and LATH

over wood framing

TYPE III CONSTRUCTION

! Conduct a community risk assessment to understand unique features of row houses in your jurisdiction. 

Row house modernization efforts may mean the exterior is refaced and interior has a different floor plan. 

Materials used for modernization or new row house construction may burn more quickly.

Don’t underestimate the danger to firefighters when fighting a row house fire. 

Access to the rear of the property is a major challenge. Basement and cellar fires 

in row houses have resulted in many line of duty deaths. You must be diligent 

and prepare as though you’re going to a fire each time you report for duty.

Assistant Chief Harry Bannan

Philadelphia Fire Department, Platoon D

"

"

OTHER

RESOURCES

NIOSH investigations of deaths involving row house fires:

• cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201618.html

• cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201425.html

• cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face201424.html

UL Firefighter Safety Research

Institute video on basement fires:

• https://ulfirefightersafety.org/

research-projects/understandingand-fighting-basement-fires.html Follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @NIOSH

Acknowledgements: Assistant Chief Bannan and the Philadelphia Fire Department for their support with this material.

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2020-117 (revised Feb. 2021) • https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHPUB2020117revised012021 | March 2020 (revised Feb. 2021)

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) | TTY: 1-888-232-6348 | CDC/NIOSH INFO: cdc.gov/info | cdc.gov/niosh