About this episode

This episode examines the King's Cross Fire, its causes, and the subsequent reforms in fire safety.

On 18 November 1987, a small fire beneath a wooden escalator at King's Cross Underground station developed into a terrifying inferno. Within minutes, flames swept into the ticket hall, killing 31 people and injuring around 100 others. This episode examines how the fire began, the previously unknown trench effect that accelerated it, the failures in training and communication, and the reforms that transformed fire safety across the London Underground. Visit our website: Compact Disasters Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #KingsCrossFire, #LondonUnderground, #DisasterHistory, #FireSafety, #LondonHistory, #TransportHistory, #BritishHistory, #HistoricalDisasters

Topics covered

• fire safety
• transport history
• disaster response
• London history
• safety reforms

Keywords

• King's Cross Fire
• London Underground
• fire safety
• disaster history
• transport history
• British history
• historical disasters

Mentioned in this episode

Places: King's Cross Underground station

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