A switchgear door latch system is provided which prevents a door of a switchgear enclosure from opening should an arc-fault explosion occur within the enclosure. The door of the enclosure is latched from the exterior side of the door rather than on the inside of the door as is true in the prior at designs. All of the components of the latch system are located at the exterior side of the enclosure which facilitates repair of the same without cutting a hole in the door.