Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 143, § 22

Any article placed upon a fire escape or an outside means of egress of any building is hereby declared a common nuisance. Any court authorized to issue warrants in criminal cases may, upon complaint under oath made by any police officer that any article is placed or maintained upon a fire escape or outside means of egress of any building, issue a warrant to bring such article when found before a court having jurisdiction of the same, and all articles seized under the authority of such a warrant shall be disposed of in like manner as gaming implements seized under chapter two hundred and seventy-six. Any owner, lessee, tenant or occupant of any building who maintains or permits to remain upon any fire escape or outside means of egress of any building any article for more than twenty minutes shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars. The existence of any article upon a fire escape or outside means of egress of any building shall be prima facie evidence that such article was so placed, maintained or permitted to remain by the occupant of the premises having access from said building to said fire escape or outside means of egress.