31 people died as the fire swept through the station

Sir Bernard Crossland, who led the scientific inquiry into the London Underground disaster, is to address the fourth International Seminar on Fire and Explosion Hazards held at the University of Ulster in Londonderry this week.

More than 150 of the world's leading fire and explosion safety science and engineering experts are to attend the conference at the Magee campus.

He is to tell delegates that the public and politicians have lost interest by the time the inquiries publish their reports.

Sir Bernard said: "Having taken part in many inquiries into accidents and disasters, I have strong views on their efficiency."

He added: "The cost of the legal teams, technical teams and supporting staff, together with the cost of the time spent by management and witnesses is very great, while the time taken in examining, cross-examining and re-examining witnesses is tedious, repetitive and time-consuming."

Recommendations

Thirty one people were killed in the fire which broke out under a wooden escalator at King's Cross Tube station at about 1930 BST on 18 November 1987.

The cost of the King's Cross Inquiry's 147 recommendations was more than �300m.

Sir Bernard said: "This figure raises the question whether on a cost-benefit analysis, this money might have been spent more effectively in saving life - for instance in fitting and maintaining smoke detectors in private houses."

Delegates from more than 20 countries are to discuss issues such as safety in industry and environment and keeping people safe from fires and explosions.

Event organiser Vladimir Molkov, Professor of Fire Safety Science at the University of Ulster, said the seminar would "bring the world's leading experts in this field together to drive forward research into fire and explosion safety".