American Expat Highlights 'Dangerous' European Door Locks in Viral Video

Brussels, Belgium – An American living in Belgium has drawn attention to a peculiar design feature of European doors, which he claims poses a significant safety risk. Patrick Marquette, an expat residing in Belgium, recently shared a video demonstrating how apartment doors in the region operate, highlighting a key difference from those in the United States. According to Marquette, while American doors typically feature a simple twist-lock mechanism that allows occupants to exit freely from the inside, European doors often require a key to be locked from the exterior. He demonstrated that once locked from the outside, the door also becomes unopenable from the inside without the same key. "If there's a fire, if there's an emergency, if you don't have a key, then you're stuck," Marquette stated in his video, expressing his concern over the lack of an easy exit in critical situations. He further added, "It just doesn't make any sense to me. There's no logic and I don't know how that's not like a safety hazard." This design, while potentially offering enhanced security from the outside, raises questions about emergency preparedness and the safety of individuals inside a locked residence, particularly in multi-person households where not everyone may carry a key at all times.

Newsweek

28 days ago

American moves to Europe, mystified by apartment door system: "no sense"

Patrick Marquette, who moved to Belgium, told Newsweek he always felt this door system was "strange, inconvenient and unsafe."