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Factors influencing fire accidents in urban complexes: a combined DEMATEL and ISM study

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Abstract

Fire outbreaks in urban complexes are a major safety concern worldwide. Therefore, this study aims to examine the critical factors that influence fire accidents and their interaction mechanisms in urban settings. A (software factors, hardware factors, environmental factors, parties and other factors, SHEL) model is developed to identify 15 risk factors in four categories affecting fire incidents in urban complexes. The Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory method (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) are employed to identify the key factors and their interrelationships, using the evaluation metrics of degree of influence, affected degree, centrality, and hierarchical structure. The results show that lack of safety management rules and regulations (S13), poor security awareness (S1), and uncorrected hidden dangers (S11) are the top three critical factors. Based on the hierarchical structure and centrality values, eight critical paths with the highest impact on fires are identified; for instance, Path 39 (comprising, lack of safety management rules and regulations (S13) → lack of fire training and drills (S12) → insufficient security knowledge (S2) → poor security awareness (S1) → poor sense of security responsibility (S3) → uncorrected hidden danger (S11) → inadequate maintenance of fire-fighting facilities (S14) → Accident), which, among all disaster impact paths, has the highest centrality value of 21.8796 (out of a total of 15 factors and total centrality value of 42.9226; Path 39 involves seven factors, but its centrality value accounts for 50.97% of the total). Finally, based on the factor analysis results, suggestions for fire control measures are provided to prevent fire accidents and ensure the safety of people and property.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

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Funding

This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2021YFF0602001-05), the Research Initiation Fund of NCUT (No. 110051360023XN224-50), the Support Special Project of the National Level Project (No. 1100513623XN-283-29), and the Organized Scientific Research (No. 110051360023XN278-02).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, 100144, People’s Republic of China

    Yingbo Ji, Fuyi Yao & Yuan Zhang

  2. School of Architecture and Built Environment, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20001, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia

    Wenjing Tong & Hong Xian Li

  3. China MCC5 Group CORP. LTD., Chengdu, 610063, People’s Republic of China

    Fadong Zhu

Authors
  1. Yingbo Ji
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  2. Wenjing Tong
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  3. Fuyi Yao
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  4. Yuan Zhang
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  5. Hong Xian Li
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  6. Fadong Zhu
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study’s conception and design. Research work and analysis were carried out by Yingbo Ji. Wenjing Tong and Yuan Zhang wrote the first draft. Fuyi Yao carried out the conceptualization of the intentional unsafe behavior and visualization. The data was reviewed by Fadong Zhang. Manuscript was edited by Hong Xian Li. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fuyi Yao.

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Ji, Y., Tong, W., Yao, F. et al. Factors influencing fire accidents in urban complexes: a combined DEMATEL and ISM study. Environ Sci Pollut Res 31, 27897–27912 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-33008-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-33008-3

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