A multiple shutdown method for managing evacuation in case of major fire accidents in chemical clusters

Abstract This paper may be regarded as the second part of a larger article. The basic decision model developed in the first part of the article by Reniers et al. [G.L.L. Reniers, N. Pauwels, A. Audenaert, B.J.M. Ale, K. Soudan, Management of evacuation in case of fire accidents in chemical industrial areas, J. Hazard. Mater., 147 (2007) 478–487] is extended to determine both the optimal time and the optimal mode to stop the ongoing activities in case of a major fire possibly giving rise to an escalating event. Chemical plants have multiple modes to stop their production processes, differing with respect to the resulting costs, and with respect to the required time and personnel to complete the shutdown operations. The existence of an additional and more economic (but slower) shutdown mode might encourage the decision maker to stop the production processes earlier, in a less intervening manner, whereas the availability of an additional faster (but less economic) shutdown procedure might stimulate the decision maker to stop the production processes later, in a more intervening manner.