This study examines fire response practices during live performances in large-scale theaters and proposes practical improvements to existing fire response manuals. The research integrates analyses of major domestic and international accident cases, a ...
This study examines fire response practices during live performances in large-scale theaters and proposes practical improvements to existing fire response manuals. The research integrates analyses of major domestic and international accident cases, a review of relevant legal and institutional frameworks, and investigations of on-site operational practices in large performance venues.
An analysis of thirteen major incidents—including the Victoria Hall crowd crush, the Iroquois Theatre fire in Chicago, and the New Kids on the Block concert crowd disaster—revealed that approximately 90% of the cases were caused not by structural deficiencies or inadequate fire protection facilities, but by operational failures such as the absence of integrated response systems, insufficient pre-event inspections, and inadequate training. These findings demonstrate that large-scale casualties in performance venues primarily result from deficiencies in operational disaster management rather than physical infrastructure.
Based on these results, three key conclusions are drawn. First, the fundamental cause of disasters in large performance venues lies in the lack of an integrated, performance-oriented operational response system. Current safety regulations remain facility-centered and fail to institutionalize critical operational elements, including decision-making authority during performances, command hierarchy, integrated communication systems, and workforce management, leading to delayed and improvised emergency responses.
Second, fire safety manuals should be transformed from static documents into functional operational systems. Strengthened maintenance standards, clearly defined command and communication structures, mandatory stakeholder training, and pre-performance safety reviews for special effects are essential to ensure effective implementation. Scenario-based manuals that reflect performance-specific conditions—such as blackout environments, high sound pressure levels, and special effects—can significantly improve initial response effectiveness.
Third, ensuring safety in large performance venues requires an integrated governance framework based on inter-agency collaboration. As such venues combine cultural functions with high-risk operational characteristics, coordinated efforts among cultural authorities, fire agencies, and local governments are essential.
Future research should further advance performance venue fire safety by applying AI- and IoT-based real-time risk detection technologies, developing audience-participatory smart evacuation systems, and establishing quantitative risk assessment models tailored to venue scale and performance type.