We use necessary cookies to make our site work. 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. "That was the legacy of the tragedy. Bradford City continues to support the burns unit at the University of Bradford as its official charity. "[11] Police Superintendent Barry Osborne, divisional commander for the area, said many of his officers cried when they saw how badly people had been burned. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. 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. Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden. Copyright 2023 IBTimes UK. I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. "I was operated on every other day because I had so many burns and so many areas to work on. Videos, gifs, or aftermath photos of machinery, structures, or devices " Burning Man," " Burning Man Project," " Black Rock City ", and . Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. Valley Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire, was built in 1886 and was initially the home ground of Manningham Rugby Football Club.
Grenfell among the UK's worst fire and tower tragedies Those with longer memories will also think of the Ibrox disaster of . The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". "We went out on to the pitch and I could see so many happy faces. Fire disaster at football match (Bradford City stadium fire) - YouTube Sign in to confirm your age 0:00 / 5:23 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users.. [10] The call was timed at 3:43pm. It slipped through a hole in the floorboard. A fire at a third division match between Bradford City and Lincoln City killed 56, including 11 children, and injured hundreds more. ", There has always been a close bond between the club and its supporters since the fire, he adds. Pendleton: "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. One woman was seen running around the ground with no skin on her arms and face. She was hysterical and trying to find her three children. The horrific scenes of people burning alive seemed to live on in an eerie silence as daylight broke over the remains of Bradford City Football Club's ground yesterday. It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe.
The Bradford city stadium fire. 56 people died when a - reddit [38], The tragedy received immense media attention and drew support from around the world, with those offering their sympathy including Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II. A minute later he saw a small plume of smoke so he poured his coffee on it and so did his son. The courts held the club to be two thirds responsible, finding that it gave "no or very little thought to fire precautions" despite repeated warnings. Cigarette smoking was also banned at all grounds with wooden stands. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out. It's terrifying how quickly fire spreads in the wrong circumstances. "We couldn't help because there were so many people streaming towards us, to our side of the pitch, to get away from the heat. He later died in hospital. A bid of 350 has been made for the original painting and Town will sell 56 prints in memorial of those who lost their lives, with the aim of raising 3,000 for the Bradford Burns Unit. Eight fires in the 18 years before the Bradford City fire were identified, many catastrophic and leading to large insurance payouts. "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. ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. 1909 - Flores Theater fire, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, on February 15, killed 250.
Burning Man Countdown | Burning Man Fifty-six people died. His most recent painting is a powerful image; two fans in Bradford and Lincoln City kits, surrounded by 54 other figures. He was helped out of the stand by other fans and spent a period of time in hospital. The inquiry had found that the club had been warned that the accumulation of rubbish beneath the stands was a fire risk.
Bradford City stadium fire disaster remembered - BBC Sport The smoke was choking. I dread to imagine how many more could have died if the wind had been blowing in the direction of the pitch, instead of away from it. We couldn't breathe. "It is the little things that show how much people are still involved the fire still has a big impact on people. [10] The stand seats did not have risers; this had allowed a large accumulation of rubbish and paper waste in the cavity space under the stand, which had not been cleared for many months. [46], In 2014, the theatre company Funny You Should Ask (FYSA) premiered their heartfelt tribute to the 56 people who died at the fire. Bradford City had just won the Third Division Championship and a record number of spectators over 11,000 had turned out to see the club presented with its first piece of league silverware in 56 years. They were not able to use water on the stand immediately because this would have hampered attempts to rescue people being dragged by the police and friends from the stand. By the time they got back, the whole thing had taken off. The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. Smoke was seen coming from the third row in the section but people are apparently used to seeing smoke flares on the Bradford ground. As the blaze spread, the wooden stands and roofcovered with layers of highly flammable bituminous roofing feltquickly went ablaze. It was to be our day,' he said. 'I think that is unlikely,' he said. "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. 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. 1985 disaster in Valley Parade Stadium, Bradford, England. The match between Bradford City and Lincoln City, the final game of that season, had started in a celebratory atmosphere with the home team receiving the Third Division championship trophy. "I've always loved art but I owned businesses in construction so I've never had the time or a chance to follow it up," he says. The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. People smothered him to extinguish the flames, but he later died of his injuries in hospital. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. 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'. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises.
Bradford City Fire disaster: 36 years on the city's pioneering burns Hideous images linger after carnage of 'celebration' day "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. "Until I arrived home my mum and my brother had no idea whether I was alive or dead. Bradford city council officials, off-duty policemen and guests from Bradford 's twin town, Munchengladbach, were there to celebrate. ", IBT UK Morning Brief - Let the best of International News come to you. I don't know where Falconer is getting this cock-and-bull story from the inaccuracies in this report [documentary] are dumbfounding. Some of the dead were found at the bottom of these steps. As he scaled the brick perimeter wall at the front, his father stayed behind to help others escape. Mr Stefan Krolak, a survivor from Bradford , said he saw the smoke start a few seats away from him 'The smoke seemed suddenly to set on fire. [11], The fire escalated very rapidly, and flames became visible; police started to evacuate the stand.
Burning Man NYC The Popplewell Inquiry found that a discarded cigarette and an accumulation of litter beneath the stand were to blame. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. They were at fault, but the fault was that no-one in authority seems ever to have properly appreciated the real gravity of this fire hazard and consequently no-one gave it the attention it certainly ought to have received. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people.
The 1985 Bradford City Football Stadium Fire What Happened and Why 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. One retired mill worker made his way to the pitch, but was walking about on fire from head to foot. 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". The scene in there was one of silence and shock.
Bradford City stadium fire | Football Wiki | Fandom The match was recorded by Yorkshire Television for their regional edition of the ITV Sunday afternoon football show The Big Match. I had to put my jumper over his hair to put the blaze out. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. (2015), 2003 Football League Third Division play-off final, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bradford_City_stadium_fire&oldid=1141323458, Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes, Pages containing London Gazette template with parameter supp set to y, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Articles needing additional references from May 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles needing additional references from December 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Fan attempted to extinguish a lit cigarette, it slipped through floorboards and fell on rubbish, igniting it. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. "The one thing I remember at the time is we were grateful that we got an answer quickly after the inquiry. Listen to Valley Parade: Bradford City Fire Remembered on BBC Radio Leeds (18:00 BST) and BBC Radio 5 live (21:00 BST). [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. [6] 1908 - Parker Building, New York City, January 10. Bradford City stadium fire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire that devastated Valley Parade Thirty years after football's 'forgotten tragedy', the truth of what exactly happened when 56. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". 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. [4], Although there had been some changes to other parts of the ground, the main stand remained unaltered by 1985. The Bradford Burns Unit was set up by Professor David Sharpe after he received many of the victims following the fire. [14] It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to be engulfed in flames.[11]. Somebody looked round and grabbed me by the hood of my coat to pull me over. Only one person had been positively identified by police by early last night. Helm later described the start of the fire in an interview to the Express newspaper: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, [A] man over from Australia visiting his son got two tickets to the game. 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. The mood before the match on the 11 May 1985 against Lincoln City was one of jubilation. Once we went out it was mayhem, manic, chaotic. However, as there was no real precedent, most Bradfordians accepted that the fire was a terrible piece of misfortune. Disaster struck at 3.43 pm. 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. Website by, Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985, Fundraising for firefighters and their families. I looked down and I saw my hands melting. The playing area and stands were very basic but the ground had enough room for 18,000spectators. Fire on Upper Castle Street, Bradford Yorkshire Evening Post On This Day 1985: The Bradford City Fire 0:15 Bradford Mill fire 24:43 The Bradford Fire 0:26 Large fire in Bradford Yorkshire Evening Post Bradford Mill fire 0:34 Bradford Great Horton Mill fire 0:10 Fire at Bradford school (video: Glynn Beck) 4:05 bradford city fc fire 1985 They were hampered further by the fact that doors at the back of the stand were locked to try to stop people coming in without paying. One man clambered over burning seats to help a fan, as did player John Hawley, and one officer led fans to an exit, only to find it shut and turn around.Bradford City's coach Terry Yorath, whose family was in the stand, ran onto the pitch to help evacuate people. The government inquiry into the disaster concluded the fire spread "faster than a man could run". "Then we ran out in our tracksuits each holding a massive card with a letter. More than 200 people were taken to hospital, many with terrible injuries. Spread by the wind, the wooden roof, which was covered with tarpaulin and sealed with asphalt and bitumen, caught fire. I don't see that. Original television coverage of the fire, as caught by cameras covering the match. They were immediately promoted back to the Football League in 1988, and survived for 23 years before being relegated again in 2011. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. Bradford fire: the horrors and the silence that had to be broken Daniel Taylor The policewoman assigned to the grieving Fletchers gets goosebumps when she looks back to 30 years ago. It made me realise life is too short and I'm a happier person for it.". 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'. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on.
Bradford City stadium fire: Remembering the 56 who died at Valley - IBT 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. He was asked if precautions would have been adequate had the club been in the Second Division. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. "I got stuck against the wall with the weight of people behind me trying to get over. "Many people still don't want to talk about the disaster. Within a few hours of the blaze starting, it was established that 56 people had been killed, many as a result of smoke inhalation, although some of them had survived until reaching hospital.[11]. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. Warnings had been issued over the ground's antiquated wooden structure, which had been condemned and was due to be pulled down and replaced with steel and concrete. Watch Missed Warnings on BBC One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at 22:45 BST on Tuesday, 12 May. People were arriving in a daze outside Bradford police headquarters on Saturday evening and early yesterday. Football architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to carry out the work. As a result, Bradford-born captain Peter Jackson was presented with the league trophy before the final game of the season with mid-table Lincoln City at Valley Parade on 11 May 1985. Only then do you realise the huge network of people the fire involved. A capacity 6,000 crowd attended a multi-denominational memorial service, held on the pitch in the sunny shadow of the burnt out stand at Valley Parade in July 1985. According to ABC News, though, several hundred people in the Chinese city of Luoyang decided to cut loose on Christmas night 2000 by heading to a nightclub housed on the fourth floor of a multi-use industrial building.A fire broke out in the basement of the structure . Mr Antony Burrows said: 'One man was stood near me with his hair on fire. The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. [11] Those who escaped were taken out of the ground to neighbouring homes and a pub, where a television screened World of Sport, which broadcast video recorded of the fire just an hour after it was filmed. Lincoln City suffered two successive relegations, first to the Fourth Division in 1986, and again in 1987, becoming the first team to be automatically relegated from the Football League itself. All that was left of the main stand were rows of bare steel and stone, with blackened timbers hanging from the few remaining roof supports. Representatives from the fire brigade were due to go to the club tomorrow to inspect it and see whether regulations were being observed. The Bradford Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today).
Today, locals continue to raise money for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit in memory of the victims of the fire. There were no fire extinguishers.
Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985 | Fire Brigades Union Pendleton: "I got pushed down to the front and I remember looking around and suddenly this smouldering, small fire had taken over virtually half a block and was starting to hit the roof. "Since then I have thought of everything we could have done, but we didn't have the presence of mind to run across the pitch and tell people to get out.
Others ran forward to try to clamber over a fence and a small wall on to the pitch.