Fire in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

The fire in a 400 shop mall in Rawalpindi in which at least 18 persons are reported to have died is another reminder that all is not well in terms of fire safety in buildings. Reports indicate that most victims became trapped and could not escape. My experience in several countries is that retail, commercial and hotel buildings are commonly unsafe in relation to their design features to protect occupants from fire. Perhaps the most common problem in developing and developed countries alike is that egress doors have locks that cannot be opened in a fire and escape routes are cluttered with stored goods.
Was this the case in this latest tragic example in Rawalpindi?