Hazardous　chemical　accidents　pose　a　severe　threat　to　human　and　economic　activities.　To　explore　the　causes　and　paths　of　hazardous　chemical　explosion　accidents　(HCEAs)　in　China,　a　qualitative　and　quantitative　model　was　proposed　in　this　study.　Firstly,　129　accident　cases　were　collected　from　the　official　website　of　the　Ministry　of　Emergency　Management　of　the　People＇s　Republic　of　China,　and　the　accident　factors　were　screened　based　on　association　rule　(AR).　Then,　the　fault　tree　(FT)　structure　of　HCEA　was　developed　by　the　AR,　and　the　qualitative　model　was　transformed　into　a　quantitative　Bayesian　network　(BN)　model.　Finally,　the　accident　path,　the　importance　size　of　the　basic　events,　and　the　sensitivity　of　the　direct　cause　of　the　accident　were　uncovered　based　on　the　BN　model.　The　results　show　that　improper　temperature　control　due　to　operating　procedures　is　the　most　likely　route　to　accidents.　Among　the　basic　events,　process　management　and　operating　procedures　issues　ranked　the　first　in　importance,　with　the　most　significant　impact　on　HCEA.　The　sensitivity　of　improper　temperature　control　far　exceeds　other　direct　causes　and　is　most　likely　to　induce　accidents　directly.　According　to　the　study　results,　some　feasible　measures　are　put　forward　to　improve　the　safety　management　of　hazardous　chemical　production.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd