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Original poster

Internal door stuck shut, kids trapped inside

71 replies

TaxTheRatFarms · 12/04/2021 22:05

I’m sure I’ve seen this on mumsnet before so I wonder if any of you can leap to my help!

Kids closed their bedroom door as usual, but either the latch has jammed or something else has happened, as it’s stuck fast, trapping them inside. We’ve tried throwing our whole weight against the door, but it won’t open.

Has anyone managed to open a stuck door? Might need as many options as possible!

So far we’ve tried taking the handle off on our side, but can’t get to the latch. The hinges are on the inside (where the kids are) so we can’t get to those.

Any ideas?

OP posts:
jazzandh · 12/04/2021 22:06

Lift as you try and open, can you get any kind of feel as to where the jam is?

Honeybobbin · 12/04/2021 22:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AppleKatie · 12/04/2021 22:09

Are the kids scared/very young? Phone the fire brigade.

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Home improvement
StylishMummy · 12/04/2021 22:09

If young children - fire brigade now!

If older children who can be kept calm, get a thick pole and wedge under the door to see if you can lift it off the hinges. Failing that - hammer to the handle area

EdwardWoodwoodWould · 12/04/2021 22:10

Is there a way to get in through a window with a ladder?

jazzandh · 12/04/2021 22:10

when you try and open the door with the handle, can you hear the latch bit moving? Is there "give " on the handle, or is it floppy?

GravityFalls · 12/04/2021 22:10

Credit card/butter knife between the door and the door frame where the catch bit is - with a bit of trial and error you can push the sticky out bit inside the door. Might need to be done from the other side but kids can try if old enough - it’s not difficult.

AdventureIsWaiting · 12/04/2021 22:11

Can you get in safely from the outside with ladders, torches etc.?

Camomila · 12/04/2021 22:11

How old is the eldest? Could they unscrew the hinges if you passed a screwdriver under the door?

Have you got a step ladder/porch to go in through a window?

Terminallysleepdeprived · 12/04/2021 22:11

I don't think the door will survive but a crowbar and brute force to break the lock is probably needed.

How old are the kids?

Could they have jammed something against the door and be too scared to own up?

Is there a fire escape window in the room? If so can you get a ladder up to the window and get them out that way til you can get someone to fix it tomorrow?

HPmagic · 12/04/2021 22:12

If the children are old enough to stand back you need to kick the door in, it work for us twice actually.

HPmagic · 12/04/2021 22:12

Kick directly we're the hinge is

RJnomore1 · 12/04/2021 22:12

Yes credit card and try to fiddle it loose. My joiner showed me how, slide it into the catch and see if it releases.

Original poster
TaxTheRatFarms · 12/04/2021 22:13

@jazzandh not sure - it looks from their side like the latch is jammed. They’ve taken a shaky video for us but it’s not very clear! They think the bottom right (opposite side to the handle) feels tight but we can push it a millimeter or so on our side.

@Honeybobbin kids are 9 & 11 and being very resourceful and not too worried at the moment. They have a phone, so have been sending us pictures.

Dh has managed to push a screwdriver under the door for ds to take the door handle off on their side. Ds unscrewed all the screws then seemed surprised that the door handle fell off, so I don’t think our instructions are that good! 😂

Latch has been Wd40’d in case that helps.

Argh.

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 12/04/2021 22:13

How big are the gaps under your doors @Camomila??

RJnomore1 · 12/04/2021 22:14

It’s the catch you need to shift not the hinge

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 12/04/2021 22:14

Get the kids to stand back, then high kick the door in, near the catch not the hinges.

jazzandh · 12/04/2021 22:14

If you can take the door stay off near the lock, then you can slide a card in and open the lock.

RJnomore1 · 12/04/2021 22:14

Ah if the credit card doesn’t work from your side they are old enough then to do it from theirs.

schoolcook · 12/04/2021 22:15

I got locked out my bedroom like this.
I took handle off and jammed a wide screwdriver in the bit where the spindle goes and was able to turn it like a key and it opened the door.
Worth a try ?

QueenOfPain · 12/04/2021 22:15

The best way to kick a door open is to stand with your back to it, and kick backwards.

RJnomore1 · 12/04/2021 22:16

Honestly don’t waste energy trying to kick it in!!

steppemum · 12/04/2021 22:16

when this happened to our bathroom door (with visiting child inside Shock )
We looked at the door, and realised that if I crowbarred the door edge/door frame off on the lock side, then I could stick something between the door and the frame. So I did, it popped off quite easily, then I could stick something in the gap to where the lock was and was able to force it back in to the door.
This door opened in to the bathroom, so I need to push against it to open.

SheeshazAZ09 · 12/04/2021 22:19

Yes this happened to DP some years back—he got locked in a room. We got the strongest chap we could find to brace himself against a facing wall and kick the door in. Door did not survive and we had to replace it.

Lindy2 · 12/04/2021 22:19

@GravityFalls

Credit card/butter knife between the door and the door frame where the catch bit is - with a bit of trial and error you can push the sticky out bit inside the door. Might need to be done from the other side but kids can try if old enough - it’s not difficult.
DH did this when we had a door do the same. At the same time he also used a screwdriver to prise the sticky out bit further away from the indented bit of door frame it goes into.

The mechanism had failed and although you could turn the handle the catch bit just didn't move.

Luckily for us it was the hallway door and we were all outside the house. We were able to use the backdoor to get in.

If the children are young you need to call an emergency locksmith as a backup while you try and open it yourself.

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