India, June 24 -- Unlocking doors with a fingerprint or key card was meant to make life easier. But a series of recent fire tragedies has raised a troubling question: what happens when these smart systems fail during an emergency? From the recent Lucknow commercial complex fire that claimed 15 lives to the blaze at a bed-and-breakfast in Delhi's Hauz Rani Market earlier this month, investigations have highlighted how biometric and electronic locking systems may have contributed to occupants getting trapped inside. Experts say safety is often compromised when consumers opt for cheaper locking systems. Mohd Aslam of EHS Circle India, a training institute for fire and industrial safety in Sadar Bazar, explains, "People do not want to invest in good-quality door locks and instead look for cheaper options. During a power outage or fire, most of these locks stop working because they lack any override mechanism." The concern extends to vehicles as well. "Many people install remote-operated locks in cars. These are among the first things to fail during an emergency. You should always keep an emergency tool handy, such as a hammer, handy to break these if need arises," adds the DFS official. The experts advice: always know your escape route. "If everyone asks themselves, 'If a fire or emergency happens right where I am sitting, how will I get out?' We will always be better prepared," he says. Amit from Total Security Solutions, Lajpat Nagar, says "We advise against locks that depend on just one access method - whether it's only a fingerprint scanner, mobile app or keypad. In an emergency, you need multiple ways to operate the lock. An ideal smart lock should offer multiple access options, including a fingerprint scanner, PIN keypad, RFID card and a mechanical key override. "Electronic door locks at homes are at risk of jamming during fires, similar to what happens in vehicles. What is happening in cars is now being replicated in homes as well," says a Delhi Fire Service (DFS) official, adding, a fail-safe mechanism automatically allows people to exit when the system fails. "There must be a manual override - a 'push to open' option that works even if the electric locking system dies," he says....