Madrid and Bali bomb investigators speak at Teesside

International fire investigators who worked in the aftermath of the Madrid and Bali bombings will be guest speakers at a special conference at the University of Teesside.

Experts from across the world will take part in the second international fire and arson investigation conference, from Tuesday 5 July to Thursday 7 July, organised by the University of Teesside’s Centre for Forensic Investigation, in partnership with Cleveland Fire Brigade and Cleveland Police.

The conference will focus on fire investigation, arson prevention and detection and disaster management. It will bring together fire investigators, forensic scientists and academics to hear presentations from Australia, the USA, Spain and the UK.

The speakers will share their experiences and knowledge of dealing with major scenes such as the Bali and Madrid bombings and the Australian Palace Youth Hostel fire.

Guest speakers include Ken Rach, Queensland Police, Special Agents Robert Schaal and Ron Tunkel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, USA and Ray Mallon, the Mayor of Middlesbrough, who will highlight the role of local authorities in preventing fires.

Dr Julie Mennell, Director of the Centre for Forensic Investigation at the University said: "This is a truly international conference. It brings together those tasked with investigating and preventing fire and explosions to share experiences, good practice and to update their knowledge of new developments and procedures."

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