[36] Staff were expected to send for the Fire Brigade only if the fire was out of control, dealing with it themselves if possible. As the traffic from all three tube lines would have overcrowded the Victoria line escalators, Northern line trains did not stop at Kings Cross until repairs were complete. [54] The fire was the basis for an episode of Discovery Television's documentary series Seconds from Disaster. Deeper underground are the platforms for the Northern line City branch, the Piccadilly, and Victoria lines. The trench effect and eruptive wildfires: lessons from the King’s Cross Underground disaster. [10] The 30° angle of the escalators was discovered to be crucial to the incident, and the large number of casualties in the fire was an indirect consequence of a fluid flow phenomenon that was later named the trench effect, a phenomenon completely unknown before the fire. [10] This trapped below ground several hundred people, who escaped on Victoria line trains. So how did it start? There was water fog equipment, but staff had not been trained in its use. [55], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}51°31′49″N 0°07′26″W / 51.5304°N 0.1239°W / 51.5304; -0.1239, A police car, three fire engines and an ambulance outside King's Cross, "Solved after 16 years – the mystery of victim 115", "How the final King's Cross fire victim was identified", "A Report for Dr A. Buchanan Dept. The blaze, which is thought to have started around 7:25pm, when a lit match fell through a gap on a wooden escalator and set fire to the grease and litter beneath the steps. [43][44], Since then, major tube stations have been upgraded and expanded to increase capacity and improve safety. [50], Soon after the fire a commemoration service was held at St Pancras Church. What began as a small fire spread quickly and caused injuries to 100 people and killed 31. The report into the distastrous escalator fire at King's Cross London Underground station in 1987. The former firefighter was one of the first on the scene at the devastating Kings Cross fire, in which 31 people died and 100 were injured. [8], At 19:45 there was a flashover and a jet of flames shot up the escalator shaft, filling the ticket hall with intense heat and thick black smoke,[9] killing or seriously injuring most of the people still in the ticket hall. Most of the fatalities occurred when a flashover engulfed the ticket hall at the top of the escalators (hot air ignited and produced a ball of fire … Wooden escalators were gradually replaced, some remaining into the early 2000s (those at Wanstead were replaced in 2003 and at Marylebone in 2004[40]) and as of 2014 the entire London Underground was operating on metal escalators, after the last wooden escalator at Greenford on the Central line was decommissioned on 10 March 2014. [42] Consequently, Parliamentary bills were tabled to permit London Underground to improve and expand the busiest and most congested stations, such as London Bridge, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn and King's Cross St Pancras. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a fire at a flat on Birkenhead Street, in King's Cross at 4.45pm. 18-11-1987, Railway accidents and incidents in the United Kingdom, 1900–1999, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King%27s_Cross_fire&oldid=991921346, 20th century in the London Borough of Camden, Building and structure fires in the United Kingdom, November 1987 events in the United Kingdom, Transport in the London Borough of Camden, Pages containing London Gazette template with parameter supp set to y, Pages using Template:Post-nominals with missing parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Lit match discarded on wooden escalator; rapid spread due to, This page was last edited on 2 December 2020, at 15:00. The King's Cross fire claimed the lives of 31 people – including a senior ranked firefighter – and seriously injured many more at King's Cross station. [29] A test was conducted where lit matches were dropped on the escalator to see if ignition would occur. 4), and also towards the slope of the channel, effectively reducing the height … The blaze reportedly began at about 1930 GMT in a machine room under a wooden escalator. Music magazines at the time (such as Smash Hits) carried adverts to call premium rate phone lines to hear the song, and the money from the phone call would then go to the charity for fire … King's Cross Fire is the 30th episode of Seconds from Disaster testing how did a fire killed people meters away. King's Cross Fire The Reunion Sue MacGregor gathers together five people who were profoundly affected by the Kings Cross Underground fire, … A public inquiry by Sir Desmond Fennell published in November 1988, made 157 recommendations including: More than 150 firefighters and 30 fire engines were called to a blaze at King's Cross station at on the evening of 18 November 1987. There was just one … This document was published on 21st October 1988 by His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office. [51], The Nick Lowe song "Who Was That Man?" The Kings Cross fire was another in a sad list of disasters from the Ronan Point Collapse in 1968 when four died and 17 were injured when an entire corner of a new block of flats in Newham, east London, collapsed. [32] Experiments were conducted with a third scale replica of the escalator built at the UK's Health and Safety Executive site at Buxton. [31] A model of King's Cross station was built at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, and using computer simulation software; this showed the flames lying down along the floor of the escalator rather than burning vertically before producing a jet of flame into the ticket hall. This item is linked to the Accident at Kings Cross on 18th November 1987. 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Smoking was banned in all London Underground stations, including on the escalators, on 23 November, five days after the fire. 16 years of detective work and one surgical clip helped BTP detectives discover the identity of the body of Alexander Fallon: the last King's Cross fire victim to be identified. The Fire Leaves a Mystery. [4] The fire was beneath the escalator, and it was impossible to reach it to use a fire extinguisher. This sudden transition in intensity, and the spout of fire, was due to the previously unknown trench effect, discovered by the computer simulation of the fire, and confirmed in two scale model tests. The fire was beneath the escalator and impossible to get close enough to use a fire … from the 1990 Album Party of One tells the story of the only unidentified victim of the King's Cross Fire, identified in 2004 as Alexander Fallon. [48], Six firemen received Certificates of Commendation for their actions at the fire, including Station Officer Townsley who was given the award posthumously. [22], A public inquiry into the incident was initiated by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Until then, the Piccadilly line could only be reached via the Victoria line or Midland City platforms, and at peak hours in one direction only. Kings Cross has been saved as your Local News location Close + 5 miles + 10 miles + 20 miles + 30 miles. A public inquiry was conducted from February to June 1988. On 18 November 1987, at approximately 19:30, a fire broke out at King's Cross St Pancras tube station, a major interchange on the London Underground.As well as the mainline railway stations above ground and subsurface platforms for the Metropolitan, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, there were platforms deeper … The King’s Cross Underground fire was an ap palling disaster in which 31 people lost their lives. Although small to begin with, described by one firefighter as "about the size of a large cardboard box", it became more serious quickly. At Soho Fire Station, Station Officer Colin Townsley's space remains empty in memory of the fallen firefighter – and the members of the public who lost their lives that terrible day. The blaze cracked concrete, stripped tiles from the walls and caused molten plastic to drip from the ceiling. Investigators found charred wood in eight places on a section of skirting on an escalator and matches in the running track,[27] showing that similar fires had started before but had burnt themselves out without spreading. Bus bomber stopped for a Big Mac before killing started. One of the victims of the King’s Cross Fire remained unidentified for many years, creating quite a mystery. [12] Staff and a policewoman trapped on a Metropolitan line platform were rescued by a train. However, painting protocols were not in his purview and his suggestion was widely ignored by his colleagues. [21], Access to the Northern line platforms was indirect, its escalators connecting with the Piccadilly line. An RMT banner at the commemorative event at Kings Cross. After seven and a half minutes of normal burning, the flames lay down as in the computer simulation. Investigators labelled this behaviour of the flames lying down in the escalator the 'trench effect'. The nearly life-expired Northern line escalators were replaced as well and the Northern line station reopened, completing the return to normal operation, on 5 March 1989. [7], At 19:42 the entire escalator was aflame, producing superheated gas that rose to the top of the shaft enclosing the escalator, where it was trapped against the tunnel ceiling, which was covered with about twenty layers of old paint from past repainting. [15], Thirty-one people died[16] and 100 people were taken to hospital, 19 with serious injuries. PC Stephen Hanson, British Transport Police officer – speaking at the subsequent inquiry. Many passengers escaped using an alternative escalator and all trains had been instructed not to stop at the station, however, the ticket hall was still busy with the last of the evening's rush hour crowd when the fireball erupted from the stairwell. This escalator connected the Piccadilly line with the mainland station. When did fire brigades begin – and why? A carelessly discarded match caused the worst fire in London Underground's history, killing 31 people. A few years before the fire, the Underground's director of operations had warned that the accumulated paint might pose a fire hazard. Architecture. Wooden panelling was to be removed from escalators, heat detectors and sprinklers were to be fitted beneath escalators, and the radio communication system and station staff emergency training were to be improved. Dropped matches ignited the contaminated grease and the fire began spreading. However, this tragic fire has redefined policy on public transport, and led to changes that keep us all much safer today. Kings Cross and Euston were emptied after two separate fire alerts were sounded as the train passed through on the Victoria Line. Officers of the British Transport Police and station staff went to investigate and on confirming the fire one of the policemen went to the surface to radio for the fire brigade. London Bridge was upgraded in conjunction with the Jubilee Line Extension project, which opened in 1999,[45] King's Cross St Pancras was substantially upgraded and expanded as a component of the High Speed 1 project in the late 2000s,[44][46] and Tottenham Court Road was expanded as part of the Crossrail project in the mid 2010s. interpreted as being foreseen by the song. Witnesses recalled seeing a firefighter wearing a white helmet just before the flashover telling passengers to get out. They saw a fire about the size of a large cardboard box and planned to fight it with a water jet using men with breathing apparatus. Increase your radius to see more recent local stories. As the superheated gases pooled along the ceiling of the escalator shaft, the layers of paint began absorbing the heat. [25] The inquiry found that the fire was most probably caused by a traveller discarding a burning match that fell down the side of the moving staircase on to the running track of the escalator. {On the lower plaque: a list of 30 names in alphabetical sequence, followed by:} An unidentified man Later identified as Alexander Williamson Fallon {For the full list … Fire safety and Coronavirus - your lockdown to-do list, Supporting Fire Cadets – sponsors and partners. It is believed that Townsley spotted the passenger in difficulty and stopped to help her. [51] Further commemoration services were held on 18 November 2002, the fifteenth anniversary of the blaze, on the twentieth anniversary in 2007 at the station itself,[51] on the twenty-fifth anniversary in 2012 at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament near the station[52] and on the thirtieth anniversary in 2017 at the station, with the laying of a wreath. The inquiry determined that the fire had started by a lit match being dropped onto the escalator. [2], At about 19:30 several passengers reported seeing a fire on a Piccadilly line escalator. Two months after the release of Actually, 31 people were killed in the King's Cross fire, which some [who?] The pop-up buildings that leave a legacy. [35], London Underground were strongly criticised in the report for their attitude to fires underground, underestimating the hazard because no one had died in a fire on the Underground before. All the vacancies were for inspectors responsible for health and safety on railway premises. When someone notices the glowing fire under the escalator, the person … [17] Fire Brigade station officer Colin Townsley was in charge of the first pump fire engine to arrive at the scene and was down in the ticket hall at the time of the flashover. Original version and the November 1987 fire. Mr Fallon was 73 when he died. Plot A lighted match is dropped by a smoker down a gap in the wooden escalator at the King's Cross tube station. The London Fire Brigade said the fire spanned between a ground floor flat and six floors up. The blaze was reported on Birkenhead Street in King's Cross today. Six different lines service the station, including: Metropolitan, Piccadilly, Hammersmith & City, Circle, … But on 18 November 1987 that would change, as a flashover - a sudden and rapid spread of fire caused by smoke or fumes igniting - claimed the lives of 31 people at King's Cross. [49] Townsley was also posthumously awarded the George Medal. Thanks for requesting a visit - holding details. [11], Thirty fire crews—over 150 firefighters—were deployed. Wooden escalators were gradually replaced with metal escalators on the London Underground. The following people died in the fire at King’s Cross underground station on the night of 18th November 1987: Betty Afua Agyapong Terrence Alonzo Best Mark David Bryant Andy Burdett Elizabeth N. Byers Treena Chappell Dean T. Cottle Susheila N. Cottle Felix Dearden Neville H. Eve Jane A. Fairey Natalie A. Falco Alexander … King’s Cross Fire, 1987 What happened? The investigators reproduced the fire twice, once to determine whether grease under the escalator was ignitable, and the other to determine whether a computer simulation of the fire—which would have determined the cause of the flashover—was accurate. The heat from the fire was so intense that firefighters tackling the blaze had to use their hoses to spray the backs of colleagues in a bid to keep the temperature bearable for brief period. More than 150 firefighters and 30 fire engines were called to a blaze at King's Cross station at on the evening of 18 November 1987. The fire … Staff and police went to investigate and on confirming the fire one of the policemen went to the surface to radio for the fire brigade. [11] A police constable, Richard Kukielka, found a seriously injured man and tried to evacuate him via the Midland City platforms, but found the way blocked by a locked Bostwick gate until it was unlocked by a passing cleaner. Why do children set fires and signs to watch out for. Next Saturday, 18 November, marks the 30th anniversary of the Kings Cross fire. Before the King's Cross fire a report produced by the Department of Transport revealed that the Department's railway inspectorate had an establishment of 24 but that five posts were vacant. Kings Cross Station, London, UK. The conclusion was that this newly discovered trench effect had caused the fire to flashover at 19:45. It ignites wax under the escalator. A further person died later in hospital. [26] The police decided that the fire had not been started deliberately, as there was no evidence that an accelerant had been used and access to the site of the fire was difficult. Never miss an exhibition or event with the London Fire Brigade Museum updates newsletter. [34] When the wooden treads of the escalator flashed over, the size of the fire increased dramatically and a sustained jet of flame was discharged from the escalator tunnel into the model ticket hall. The time shown by the clock at the top of the escalator read 7:45pm – the exact moment when the flames burnt through its wiring. As well as the mainline railway stations above ground and subsurface platforms for the Metropolitan lines, there were platforms deeper underground for the Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines. 18th November 2012. The fire started under a wooden escalator serving the Piccadilly line and, at 19:45, erupted in a flashover into the underground ticket hall, killing 31 people and injuring 100. Fears lessons of deadly 1987 King's Cross fire have been 'forgotten' The scientist who helped investigate why the fire spread says Grenfell shows "many lessons" from King's Cross were not applied. [23] It was conducted by Desmond Fennell OBE QC, assisted by a panel of four expert advisers. [5] The police made the decision to evacuate the station at 19:39, using the Victoria line escalators. Improvement to the Brigade's radio communications between firefighters below ground. [6] A few minutes later the fire brigade arrived and several firemen went down to the escalator to assess the fire. The ticket hall for the three tube lines was reopened in stages over four weeks. On 18 November 1987, at approximately 19:30, a fire broke out at King's Cross St. Pancas tube station, a major interchange on the London Underground. Finally, the mystery victim of the King's Cross Underground fire in November 1987 has been identified as Alexander William Fallon. [14] The fire was declared out at 01:46 the following morning. Download this stock image: King's Cross Fire. The fire was under control at 9:48pm and was out at 01:46am on 19 November. [13] Fourteen London Ambulance Service ambulances ferried the injured to local hospitals, including University College Hospital. It was allowed to burn for nine minutes before being extinguished. Coronavirus: are you caring for someone vulnerable? It was written by Desmond Fennell (OBE QC). One man was assisted from the flat by a member of the public before fire crews arrived. A report was published on the inquiry, leading to resignations of senior management in both London Underground and London Regional Transport and to the introduction of new fire safety regulations. London Underground was strongly criticised for its attitude toward fires. [24], Smoking on Underground trains was banned in July 1984, over 3 years before the fire. A review of the Brigade's Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). When was the King's Cross fire? The flames heated the framework and decking of the Piccadilly line escalator, pre-heating the rest of the wooden staircase before bursting into flames. Crews found the body of Station Officer Townsley beside the badly burned body of a passenger at the steps leading up to the Pancras Road entrance of the station. [30], This test confirmed the initial eyewitness reports up to that point, but four expert witnesses could not agree as to how the small fire flashed over, with some concern that the paint used on the ceiling had contributed to the fire. [38][39], The Fire Precautions (Sub-surface Railway Stations) Regulations 1989 were introduced. [41], London Underground was also recommended by the Fennell Report to investigate "passenger flow and congestion in stations and take remedial action". Is firefighting the right career for you? [citation needed], Charles Duhigg in his book The Power of Habit discusses how bad corporate culture and inefficient management led to the disaster at King's Cross.