Abstract: The invention comprises an escape elevator which is especially useful with tall buildings. The escape elevator slides up and down the outside of the building along a pair of spaced apart tracks. The tracks serve to hold the elevator close to the building as well as to provide guidance for the up and down motion of the elevator. The elevator car or cage extends to either side of the tracks sufficiently to overlap egresses from the building such as balconies. The power winches which operate the elevator are located adjacent the top of the building. A shielded cable is provided which leads from the winches to a point adjacent the ground floor of the building. A remote control box is attachable at the point adjacent the ground floor of the building. Also attachable at the control box is an external power supply to which power to operate the elevator is supplied. The elevator is thus not dependent upon the internal power supply of the building.