The Bradford Burns Unit was set up by Professor David Sharpe after he received many of the victims following the fire. 527 votes, 98 comments. It is a simple account laid out for all to see. [15] They included three who tried to escape through the toilets, 27 who were found by exit K and turnstiles 6 to 9 at the rear centre of the stand, and two elderly people who had died in their seats. The two sides met for the first time after the fire in April 1989, when they arranged a benefit match in aid of the Hillsborough disaster, at Valley Parade. There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". [36], In 2010, Susan Fletcher's son and survivor of the Bradford City fire (and witness to the Hillsborough disaster), Martin Fletcher, openly criticised the club's hierarchy at the time of the fire and the subsequent investigation. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. Of the 56people who died in the fire,[2] 54 were Bradford supporters and two supported Lincoln. "I got stuck against the wall with the weight of people behind me trying to get over. [56], On 17 April 2015, retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer, in a report by the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, said the police were aware of an Australian man who admitted to starting the fire. [10] Bradford City's coach Terry Yorath, whose family was in the stand,[19] ran onto the pitch to help evacuate people. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. "It is unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. Part of the Appeal funds were raised by a recording of "You'll Never Walk Alone"[42] from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Carousel by The Crowd (including Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, who had recorded the 1963 version that led to Liverpool adopting it as their motto and team song), which reached number one in the UK Singles chart. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. The Great Fire of London, 1212 | Sky HISTORY TV Channel [11], The fire escalated very rapidly, and flames became visible; police started to evacuate the stand. But many, including Harrison, believe it could unnecessarily reopen wounds if it does happen. The game was irrelevant.". [58] Following this report, Leslie Brownlie, who was the nephew in question, is reported to have said that his uncle never made such an admission of starting the fire. It detailed the safety work which would be carried out at Valley Parade as a result of the club's promotion, admitting the ground was "inadequate in so many ways for modern requirements". "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. 1909 - Flores Theater fire, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, on February 15, killed 250. For the 30th anniversary of the fire a new version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was recorded at Voltage Studios in Bradford. Bradford City stadium fire - Wikipedia 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. 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'. [16] Messages of condolence were also received from Helmut Kohl, Chedli Klibi and Felipe Gonzlez. "I was in the stand opposite when the fire broke out. I've never seen anything like it. 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]. 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. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. At Valley Parade there are now two memorials. 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! 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. The 1984-85 season had been one of the most successful in Bradford City's 82-year history. But I've never spoken to anyone who thought the fire wasn't anything other than a tragic accident. More than 250 others were injured in one of the. Hendrie: "Several minutes before half-time I saw there was a wee bit of bother. 2022 DECOMPRESSION WAS DREAMY . It was the brainchild of Bradford City fan Lloyd Spencer with all profits going to the Bradford Royal Infirmary Burns Unit.[43]. It wasn't until later on when assistant manager Terry Yorath came in and said: 'It's not good.'". ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. [31] In 1988, the first compensation payments were made to survivors of the fire, with over 40 people receiving up to 40,000 each. 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. Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden bench consumed the entire stand in under four minutes.Original TV footage: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31qcmtIf you would like to support this channel - https://buymeacoffee.com/TheRavensEyeAlthough focused primarily on disasters, this channel is all about the interesting, the strange, the unsolved, the tragic. Part of the service was also held in Urdu and Punjabi as a sign of appreciation to the local ethnically Asian Subcontinental community in Manningham, Bradford and around Valley Parade who had opened their homes to Bradford City supporters to provide assistance in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. 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. Videos, gifs, or aftermath photos of machinery, structures, or devices "I saw people die in the stand - but it was only until then that I realised the scale of it.". All existing grandstands deemed fire risks were faced with immediate closure. Superintendent Barry Osborne, divisional commander for the football club area, who was injured in the fire said that many policemen cried when they saw how badly people had been burned. Fire disaster at football match (Bradford City stadium fire) Two or three burly men put their weight against it and smashed the gate open. The money raised from this record was contributed to fund the internationally renowned burns unit that was established in partnership between the University of Bradford and Bradford Royal Infirmary, immediately after the fire, which has also been Bradford City's official charity for well over a decade. While Valley Parade was re-developed, Bradford City played games at various neighbouring grounds: Elland Road, Leeds; Leeds Road, Huddersfield; and Odsal Stadium, Bradford. "The scene when I arrived was horrendous. 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. 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. 'They did not have a chance. This day was for them. The Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, Mr Colin Sampson, said yesterday that a team of doctors and pathologists had worked throughout the night trying to identify the dead. Bradford City stadium fire: Police identify man who 'dropped the "It's therapeutic and I've met so many people through doing this." "The one thing I remember at the time is we were grateful that we got an answer quickly after the inquiry. I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. [10][16] More than 265 supporters were injured. The other, situated by the main entrance, was donated by the club after its 7.5million (13million today) rebuilding of the original main stand in 2002. [2] The main stand was described as a "mammoth structure", but was unusual for its time because of its place on the side of a hill. Fletcher has taken facts and presented them in such a way that it should make it moralistically impossible for this incident not to be looked at again. [8][9] In the crowd were local dignitaries and guests from three of Bradford's twin townsVerviers in Belgium, and Mnchengladbach and Hamm in West Germany. Bradford council introduced its emergency plans procedure yesterday to give aid to many families affected by the disaster. "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. 48,785 Location Lake Jonathan Creek The footage never gets any less shocking. However as the game against Lincoln progressed, a fire began just before half-time in the stand that ran alongside the pitch. A discarded cigarette and a dilapidated wooden stand, which had survived because the club did not have the money to replace it, and accumulated paper litter, were considered to have conspired to cause the worst disaster in the history of the Football League. No fire extinguishers had been installed over fears of vandalism and less than four minutes after the fire was reported, the fire had engulfed the whole stand. "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. ", Hendrie: "We stayed in the pub for hours. "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. ", IBT UK Morning Brief - Let the best of International News come to you. Speculation an Australian man started the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 IT killed 56 people and destroyed an entire stadium. Bradford fire: the horrors and the silence that had to be broken Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. Some repair work was carried out, but in July 1984 the club was warned again, this time by a county council engineer, because of the club's plans to claim for ground improvements from the Football Trust. Forty-two minutes into the first half of the game, he looked to his left to see smoke and flames rising from the old wooden seats. Bradford City stadium fire. A football match in Bradford UK ends Some had been crushed as they tried to crawl under turnstiles to escape. Although some attributed Lincoln City's sudden demise to the psychological effects of the fire on its players (together with the resignation of successful manager Colin Murphy shortly before the fire), it symbolised the wider crisis that the introduction of new safety legislation brought to Lincoln's Sincil Bank home. ', Bradford City Fire Website messages of condolence from around the world, "Chuckle Brothers' single for Bradford City fire anniversary", "Bradford City stadium fire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire", "Emotive play of Bradford City fire disaster raises cash for burns unit", "Book Review: Four Minutes to Hell: The Story of the Bradford City Fire by Paul Firth football book reviews", "Football Focus 1st May 2010 Bradford City Part 1", Bradford City A year of healing Documentary, "Bradford fire: expert demands new investigation into blaze", "Bradford City stadium fire 1985 IPCC investigation decision", "BRADFORD CITY FIRE: Accidental cause of tragedy 'not in any doubt', says detective", "Bradford City fire 'started by cigarette', "Bradford City fire: Briton attacks 'inaccurate' BBC documentary claiming his uncle started blaze", "Bradford fire: Sir Oliver Popplewell defends 1985 inquiry interview in full", Living with Jacko From Touchline to Lifeline, Fifty-Six: The Story of the Bradford Fire, The full Interim Report by Lord Popplewell into the Bradford City Fire, British Medical Journal article on the treatment of burns casualties after the Bradford City Fire, Peter Jackson's account of the Bradford City Fire, Nationally broadcast Yorkshire Television programme covering the fire, broadcast the following day, ITN bulletin covering the fire, also from the following day, ITN bulletin covering the aftermath, from three days later, Chelsea F.C. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. 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. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. Ironically, off-duty firemen were at the ground selling raffle tickets for a charity football match which should have been held yesterday. [30], The outcome of the test case resulted in over 154 claims being addressed (110 civilians and 44 police officers)[31] by the injured or bereaved. "I was supposed to meet my father at my grandfather's house, but I was a bit late so I went straight to the game so I didn't miss the festivities.". Bradford city council officials, off-duty policemen and guests from Bradford 's twin town, Munchengladbach, were there to celebrate. [13], The match kicked off at 3:04pm and after forty minutes of the first half, the score remained 00,[14] in what was described as a drab affair with neither team threatening to score. ", On 26 January 2016, the IPCC declined calls for an investigation and published its full response online. Most of the fans who took this escape route were killed or seriously injured. 24 Bradford City A.F.C. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. At the final home match against Barnsley at the end of April, Bradford City fans collected more than 8,000 in a bucket collection. The intensity of the blaze which spread 'quicker than people could walk' destroyed the main stand area, leaving a skeleton of burned seats, lamps and fences. 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. 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". "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. It is impossible so far to be accurate about the precise cause of the fire, with grossly conflicting reports from witnesses. He saw smoke coming from a small area of the stand and thought that someone had let off a flare. I saw a group of people around the smoke laughing. He is quoted as saying: "I don't believe the statement of retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer at all. Bradford City were supposed to be celebrating on 11 May 1985. Now they will begin another inquiry, into the cause of the Bradford fire. Four police officers, constables David Britton and John Richard Ingham and chief inspectors Charles Frederick Mawson and Terence Michael Slocombe, and two spectators, Richard Gough and David Hustler, were awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for their actions. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". [51] Another book; 56: The Story of the Bradford Fire (2015) was written by Martin Fletcher to discuss how the disaster was caused, and follows his loss of his father, brother, uncle and grandfather. "I feel such information should be made public and people should look at those facts, then make their mind up on those facts. The Bradford Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today). It was to be our day,' he said. It made me realise life is too short and I'm a happier person for it.". All you could hear was sirens and screams. His face was burned and his car, which he had parked outside the ground, was destroyed. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. Soon they were all running for their lives. [1] When the association football club was formed, the ground was changed very little and had no covered accommodation. 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. 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. I looked down and I saw my hands melting. And the black and twisted skeleton of the burnt stand stood out in the night. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. Former Bradford midfielder John Hendrie, who was playing in the match: "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. 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. 1985 disaster in Valley Parade Stadium, Bradford, England. A fire at a third division match between Bradford City and Lincoln City killed 56, including 11 children, and injured hundreds more. BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out. Burning Man Countdown | Burning Man Stories From 11 May. 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. 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 .

Benedict Wong And Don Lee Look Alike, Is Christiane Amanpour On Vacation, Articles B