At-Risk Building Fire Safety Awareness Practices: A Case Study in Bandar Hilir, Melaka

This study explores the integration of heritage conservation with fire safety in historic buildings and districts, with a particular focus on Bandar Hilir, Melaka. It addresses technical, operational, and governance challenges while identifying global best practices adaptable to local contexts. A systematic review guided by PRISMA 2020 (2020–2025) and complemented by narrative/thematic synthesis underpinned by Constructivist Grounded Theory (CGT) was conducted. Twenty-five high-quality sources—including peer-reviewed articles, standards, and agency guidelines—were critically appraised using MMAT, CASP, and JBI tools, with qualitative confidence assessed through GRADE-CERQual. The findings highlight five interrelated themes: (i) the tension between authenticity and safety, requiring performance-based interpretation and equivalency documentation; (ii) the evolution of risk assessment approaches from sensitivity markers to weighted resilience indices (AHP/CRITIC) and value-at-risk frameworks for balancing costs and benefits; (iii) heritage-sensitive technologies such as wireless detectors, wireless alarms, and linear systems that minimize invasive interventions; (iv) operational disciplines encompassing hot-work control, housekeeping audits, regular training, incident pre-planning, and collection salvage strategies; and (v) multi-agency governance at both building and urban scales, structured around the prevention–preparedness–response–recovery cycle. Drawing from these insights, the study proposes a layered integration model for Melaka: ensuring technical legitimacy through performance-based equivalency; prioritizing interventions via AHP/CRITIC and value-at-risk; adopting “invisible” fire safety technologies; institutionalizing operational practices; and establishing a heritage city technical committee with measurable KPIs. The study contributes by merging engineering evidence, risk-prioritization frameworks, and CGT-informed social narratives to bridge the divide between conservation and safety. Practical implications include shifting from prescriptive compliance toward performance- and risk-based community-endorsed decisions, enabling resilient outcomes that are both authentic and safe. Future CGT-based fieldwork in Bandar Hilir is recommended to validate the framework, test wireless technologies, and expand incident and near-miss repositories.

Fire Safety Awareness; Risk Assessment Frameworks

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