It wasn't until later on when assistant manager Terry Yorath came in and said: 'It's not good.'". Eight fires in the 18 years before the Bradford City fire were identified, many catastrophic and leading to large insurance payouts. Wildman: "I was burnt from top to bottom, on and off. "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. She was hysterical and trying to find her three children. In the last few years, the BCFC kit-man John Duckworth did a sponsored 73-mile walk between Lincoln's Sincil Bank stadium and Valley Parade, joined by Bradford fans along the way. The inquiry into the disaster, chaired by Sir Oliver Popplewell and known as the Popplewell Inquiry,[25] led to the introduction of new legislation to improve safety at the UK's football grounds. We had not been told anything.". The Bradford City stadium fire occurred during a Football League Third Division match on Saturday, 11 May 1985 at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, killing 56 spectators and injuring at least 265. We went there to win the last game in front of a home crowd. Loading. I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. Many who had walked out of the fire stood on the pitch looking back in horror as the flames destroyed the stand. He started to walk home, unsure of what had happened to his father. "As well as those who lost their lives or were injured, there are the relatives and friends, the others who were at the game, and those who would normally have gone to the match but decided not to that day. He had to undergo counselling and was unable to go to another game for several years. The match, Bradford against Lincoln, was to have been a joyous climax to the club winning the Third Division championship and being promoted to the Second Division. 1985 disaster in Valley Parade Stadium, Bradford, England. "I'm taking the opportunity to lay out the facts that were not laid out in 1985 at the time of the inquiry or the inquests. Police removed the last body from the ground at 4 am yesterday, working under arc lights. Guided by the values expressed by the 10 Principles, Burning Man is a global ecosystem of artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events, and local initiatives around the world. As he scaled the brick perimeter wall at the front, his father stayed behind to help others escape. [citation needed] Spectators later spoke of initially feeling their feet becoming warmer; one of them ran to the back of the stand for a fire extinguisher but found none. The Bradford way was keep it to ourselves - it worked collectively that we did that. After Hillsborough, the Bradford City FC stadium fire was the second worst sporting tragedy in England, leaving 56 dead and at least 265 injured. The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were initially alerted. "The scene when I arrived was horrendous. "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. One, now re-situated to that end of the stand where the fire began, is a sculpture donated on the initial re-opening of Valley Parade in December 1986 by Sylvia Graucob, a then Jersey-based former West Yorkshire woman. Read about our approach to external linking. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. Interviews conducted by BBC Radio Leeds' Tim Daley. "It wasn't covering anything up, it wasn't avoiding the truth of what happened, everyone knows what happened, everyone knows it shouldn't have happened. "Then we ran out in our tracksuits each holding a massive card with a letter. One man in tears said: 'He looked as if he was just going for a stroll. Artist Paul Town, who now lives in Baildon, was 15 at the time of the fire. It remains to be seen whether a new investigation will take place. The Most Tragic Nightclub Fires In History - Grunge.com Luckily, his father arrived home shortly after he did, but 30 years on, he still remembers the young woman who served him a Mars Bar and his father a coffee, who never made it out of the stadium. [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. [46], In 2014, the theatre company Funny You Should Ask (FYSA) premiered their heartfelt tribute to the 56 people who died at the fire. The stand had no perimeter fencing to keep fans from accessing the pitch, thus averting an instance of crush asphyxia as in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. They were donated by Bradford's twin city of Hamm, Germany, and are situated in front of Bradford City Hall in both locations. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. He appealed to people to be patient while forensic experts identified bodies. "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". [5] However, he also warned the club of a build-up of litter beneath the stand because of a gap between the seats. We went over to the policeman stood at the corner flag and asked if it was being sorted out, and he said it was under control," Harrison says. "The players were told to go to the pub at the top of the road, we didn't know at this point if anyone had been killed. Instead it turned into a day of appalling tragedy. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. Fifty-six people died. "As a 15-year-old, you don't really know how much of an impact an event like that will have on your life," Town says. It transpired that the wooden stand had already been condemned and was set to be demolished just two days after the tragedy. In March 1985 the club's plans became more apparent when it took delivery of steel for a new roof. 199 Bradford City Stadium Fire Photos and Premium High Res Pictures Most of the exits at the back were locked or shut and there were no stewards present to open them, but seven were forced open or found open. [32] Speaking at the close of the case, the Judge said "They (the club) were at fault, no one in authority seemed to have appreciated the fire hazard. It seemed to put it out. The club's success had swollen the crowd to 10,000 and arguments will rage about fire precautions at the ground. "The letters that went to the club, the council's failings, the police's failings, even as supporters we allowed a culture where the gates were locked. Disaster struck at 3.43 pm. Bradford City stadium fire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire Burning Man - Wikipedia The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred to as the Man, that occurs on the penultimate night of Burning Man, which is the Saturday evening before Labor Day. So I threw myself over the wall and luckily someone dived in to catch me before I hit the floor.". Bradford City stadium fire: Police identify man who 'dropped the In the panic that ensued, fleeing crowds escaped on to the pitch but others at the back of the stand tried to break down locked exit doors to escape. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. "A disaster is not black and white - it is a mass of factors.". Fletcher said that "The club at the time took no actual responsibility for its actions and nobody has ever really been held accountable for the level of negligence which took place. He asks the reader to make their mind up about whether these fires were a coincidence or not.". The fundraising events included a reunion of the 1966 World Cup Final Starting XI that began with the original starting teams of both England and West Germany, and was held at Leeds United's stadium, Elland Road, in July 1985 to raise funds for the Appeal fund. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. "But the feeling here is that it is hard to believe that someone would purposefully start a fire. In those days there was a lot of hooliganism and violence, so my initial thought was: 'I hope it has not kicked off - that's the last thing we need'. Speculation an Australian man started the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 IT killed 56 people and destroyed an entire stadium. Other parents whose children had not arrived home on Saturday called at the police station or sat in cars outside, waiting for news. The inquiry had found that the club had been warned that the accumulation of rubbish beneath the stands was a fire risk. 48,785 Location Lake Jonathan Creek The footage never gets any less shocking. One woman was seen running around the ground with no skin on her arms and face. That's when everybody else had the same thought. After the fire, Bradford City also announced they would thereafter play with a black trim on their shirt sleeves as a permanent memorial to those who had died. Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands bore witness to the worst fire disaster in the history of English football. At the time, however, Harrison says, Bradford just wanted to move on. The Great Fire of London, 1212 | Sky HISTORY TV Channel Some of the dead were found at the bottom of these steps. [10][11], Bradford's Telegraph & Argus newspaper published a souvenir issue for 11 May, entitled, "Spit and Polish for the Parade Ground". There is no evidence in the book, he is just pointing out there are some coincidences. 'They did not have a chance. We had to run up the stairs, through the office doors and out on to the street. We didn't know how serious it was.". It took the firemen four minutes to arrive at the ground but the speed of the fire was such that the blaze also took only four minutes to grip the entire stand. People were falling on to each other and screaming. It was unprecedented.". Bradford City fire was started by a tourist who dropped a cigarette [15], At 3:44pm, five minutes before half-time, the first sign of a firea glowing lightwas noticed three rows from the back of block G,[10][16] as reported by television commentator John Helm. The fire was described as the worst fire disaster in the history of British football, and the worst football related disaster since 66spectators died at Ibrox in 1971. However, there is a lot in this book that troubles me about the science, or lack of it, used in the testing of the investigators' hypothesis as to the source of the ignition. Last edited: May 11, 2021 May 11, 2019 #2 JohnnyKills Full Member Joined Jan 8, 2016 Messages 6,902 Yeah footage is horrendous isn't it. It has a black marble fascia on which the names and ages of those that died are inscribed in gold, and a black marble platform on which people can leave flowers and mementos. His son Christopher normally watches from the stand but on Saturday he joined other fans elsewhere. His face was burned and his car, which he had parked outside the ground, was destroyed. Bradford City players line up to observe a minutes silence for the 25th anniversary of the 1985 Bradford stadium fire prior to the Coca Cola League. Most Bradfordians have accepted the fire was a terrible misfortune. The team's coach, Mr Terry Yorath, ran on to the pitch to try to help people away from the stand. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. " Burning Man," " Burning Man Project," " Black Rock City ", and . Come celebrate the beastly realm and our place in it and with it, an even more radically inclusive and sustainable city and global community in 2023: ANIMALIA! There has been reports of people lighting paper under the seats, and it was important that as many fans as possible who were in the stand or at the Kop end contacted the police. More than 250 others were injured in one of the biggest disasters at a British football ground. "[59], Raymond Falconer's reliability had previously been questioned by Daniel Taylor in The Guardian who stated that: "The Bradford Telegraph and Argus described him as a 'top detective'. Those who escaped walked to a nearby pub to use the phone to ring home, while others arrived in a daze outside the police headquarters to try and trace relatives. We accepted it was an accident, nobody wanted to blame the club because it was the club we wanted to support. You could hardly breathe. About 3,000 people were in Valley Parade's main stand, escaping by climbing over walls on to the pitch or through the usual exit gates. Since then, it has been further re-developed and, today, Valley Parade is a modern 25,136 all-seater stadium, which is virtually unrecognisable from how it was at the time of the disaster, save for the original clubhouse that still stands beside the main stand, and the flank support wall that runs down the Hollywell Ash Lane at the "Bradford End". Bradford City stadium fire: Remembering the 56 who died at Valley - IBT he asks. [29] The Health and Safety Executive who were also part of the legal action were found to be non-liable. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". The disaster led to rigid new safety standards in UK stadiums, including the banning of new wooden grandstands. It was fairly clear that somebody had dropped a lighted match or cigarette between the floorboards.". Pendleton: "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. And the black and twisted skeleton of the burnt stand stood out in the night. Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund had been set up and would eventually raise over 3.5m ($5.4m). The stand had already been condemned, and the demolition teams were due to start work two days later. There were many cases of heroism, with more than 50 people later receiving police awards or commendations for bravery. "[28], West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council was found to have failed in its duty under the Fire Precautions Act 1971. However, as there was no real precedent, most Bradfordians accepted that the fire was a terrible piece of misfortune. Martin Fletcher, whose brother, father, grandfather and uncle all died in the fire: "I'm taking the opportunity to lay out the facts that were not laid out in 1985 at the time of the inquiry or the inquests. At 3.40pm, five minutes before half-time, a glowing light was spotted three rows from the back of block G. "We were stood in line with the 18-yard, the penalty area, when we saw some smoke and a bit of fire diagonally from where we were. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. There were no extinguishers in the stand's passageway for fear of vandalism, and one spectator ran to the clubhouse to find one but was overcome by smoke and impeded by others trying to escape. People were clambering over the wall on to the ground with their clothes and hair on fire. **The Bradford City Stadium Tragedy** - Firehouse I do not include the people currently running the club, who have always displayed a great, sensitive duty to the memory of those who died. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. Warning: Some readers may find parts of this content distressing. Twenty nine years ago on this date, 56 people tragically died when a fire erupted at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground The day was supposed to be one of celebration for Bradford who had just won the Third Division trophy. Mr Antony Burrows said: 'One man was stood near me with his hair on fire. When cross examined by QC Robert Smith, then Chairman Stafford Heginbotham said he knew about the fire risk at the ground. Bits of my arms, bits of my legs, part of my face, part of my scalp. The fire brigade said that when heat builds up so quickly it can cause flames to move much quicker than people can walk. It was nearly double the season's average of 6,610 and included 3,000fans in the ground's main stand. I was there in hospital for eight weeks - it felt like a lifetime. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. However, the responsibility of the Club is, in my view, very much the greater and I apportion responsibility between the two defendants as to two-thirds on the first defendant and one-third on the third (sic) defendant. The mood before the match on the 11 May 1985 against Lincoln City was one of jubilation. All you could hear was sirens and screams. "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". Others ran forward to try to clamber over a fence and a small wall on to the pitch. 'The fire just spread along the length of the stand in seconds. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. Footage of the accident at this point shows levels of confusion among the spectatorswhile many were trying to escape or to cross the pitch to the relative safety of the neighbouring stands, other spectators were observed cheering or waving to the still-rolling pitchside cameras. Although I was only 12 at the time, 11 May 1985 is a day. I have never had to deal with such a situation before, and this has put the city on its heels.'. The Documentary highlighted the 'poison pen letters' and graffiti targeted at the then club chairman Stafford Heginbotham over accusations that he was in some way personally responsible for the deaths of the 56 people who died at the fire.[54]. It is repeated across the country on BBC Two at 23:20 BST on Wednesday, 13 May. A giant Christian cross, made up of two large charred wooden members[44] that had once been part of the stand, was constructed in front of the middle of the stand and behind the pitchside speaker's platform. They were immediately promoted back to the Football League in 1988, and survived for 23 years before being relegated again in 2011. Lincoln City's board responded by committing 1.1million (3.5million today) to their ground's renovation in the year that immediately followed the fire at Valley Parade, and over the following decade made improvements that eventually totalled 3million. ", Popplewell: "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". Previous warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter in the cavity below the seats in the stand. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. "We wouldn't normally have covered that game - no question about it. On Saturday 11 May 2002, the 17th anniversary of the disaster, a memorial with the names of those who lost their lives was dedicated at the new entrance to the redeveloped Sunwin stand. Fletcher has been the only survivor to publicly challenge the inquiry's findings. He agreed that the inquiry into Bradford, led by the judge Oliver Popplewell, was inadequate and that there are many unanswered questions. The heat was so intense it caused car windows to shatter in the street. Grenfell among the UK's worst fire and tower tragedies "It is hard to imagine how Martin and his mother have managed to cope over the last 30 years and we have always respected him," Harrison says. The whole fire seemed to erupt in seconds,' he said. The Bradford Burns Unit was set up by Professor David Sharpe after he received many of the victims following the fire. Fire kills 50 at soccer stadium - HISTORY Fletcher, who was 12 at the time of the fire, does not make any direct allegations but he does believe Heginbotham's history with fires resulting in payouts of around 27m in today's terms warrants further investigation. The blame was through neglect, they didn't have the money to maintain the stand. It was later established that the blaze was caused by a fan who went to put his cigarette out but dropped it between the floorboards onto a .