Fireman brands door 'unsafe'

Posted on 25 September 2008

An ex-fireman has highlighted the dangers that some modern doors may bring, it has been reported.

Titus Drummond told the Reading Chronicle a door installed at his Earley home needed to be locked from the inside by a key, leaving him worrying about trapping his family on the inside.

Mr Drummond avoided double-locking the door to avoid the problem - but found his home was broken into two weeks later.

He told the newspaper: "I couldn't see what difference double locking the door made to anyone on the outside so I stopped double locking it."

In addition, Mr Drummond said he does not like the idea of a door which needs to be physically unlocked from the inside, as it could present dangers if a fire were to break out.

John McNicholas, Reading’s police crime reduction adviser, also told the news provider there is such thing as the "perfect" door due to the conflicting needs of security and ease of escape.

Last week, the Reading Chronicle revealed that police have advised local residents to double lock their doors after a series of 'letterbox thefts'.