More than 300 firefighters, medics and police searched for survivors

Nine people died and 33 people were injured in the incident in May 2004. Their relatives have continually pressed for an inquiry to be held.

Factory owners ICL plastics and ICL Tech were fined £400,000 for health and safety breaches last month.

The remit and a timescale for the inquiry have yet to be agreed but full details should be confirmed on Monday.

It is believed Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini and Peter Hain, UK cabinet minister, have agreed that a public inquiry is the "best option" to learn lessons from the disaster.

The Crown Office confirmed a "common appreciation of the way forward" has been reached.

'Corroded pipe'

Stockline survivors and victims relatives had planned to hand over a 15,000-strong petition demanding a public inquiry to the authorities on Friday.

After the explosion on 11 May 2004, more than 300 firefighters, medics and police joined the 72-hour search for survivors.

It was one of the biggest urban rescue efforts of recent times with firefighters from all over the UK joining those from the Strathclyde brigade to free victims from the rubble.

The extensive health and safety investigation into the blast cost in the region of £1m.

It discovered that the explosion occured after petroleum gas ignited in a pipe which had corroded in the cellar of the factory building.

A memorial garden for the nine victims now stands on the former factory site.