It is advisable to hang a heavy lock on the door to prevent thieves and robbers. But in the modern era, biometric or smart locks (Smart Locks) have come. The lion’s door opens with the touch of a finger. The interior is controlled by the gesture of the mobile app. We are sure. Our family is safe. But in the maze of fire, this safe protection will not be a death trap? The recent horrific fires in Lucknow, Delhi or Indore have brought us face to face with a brutal and burning truth.

When danger strikes, time changes. Firefighting experts say that when a fire breaks out, toxic smoke and intense heat come before the flames. While the temperature on the floor of the house is around 100 degrees Celsius, it reaches 600 degrees in no time at head height. It is natural for people to lose their sense of judgment in this suffocating situation. Smoke blinds the eyes. That’s when an unobstructed exit is needed quickly. But the design of modern multi-storey or flats is made mainly keeping in mind the prevention of theft and robbery. Disaster management is neglected there.

15 people lost their lives in the recent fire in Lucknow. Investigation showed that the automatic lock system was not opened. The rescue workers had to finally break the wall to rescue the trapped people. The same familiar picture has been seen in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar or Indore incidents. People are trapped in the fire due to the confusion of smart locks.

Why does digital lock become useless?

Extreme heat causes the internal circuits and sensors of these locks to malfunction. Electronic components melt due to short circuit. The back-up system often does not work in case of central power outage. On top of that, people forget passwords or emergency override codes in moments of extreme panic. As a result, the technology that appeared with the guarantee of safety, became Jamduar in the day of danger.

It is true that we have become modern on the back of technology, but we have lost life-giving awareness. We spend lakhs of rupees to buy expensive CCTV cameras or security locks. But no drills on how to survive in emergency situations are seen in our families or residences. Technology is not the real villain, the villain is our apathy. Remember, protection is only worthwhile if it saves lives. The function of the door is not only to hold, but also to release in extreme danger.