"[27], After controversial comments made by Popplewell about the Hillsborough Disaster, Fletcher raised further concerns about the events following the fire saying that "I have many unanswered questions still about the fire in which four of my family died, as does my mother. Videos, gifs, or aftermath photos of machinery, structures, or devices 24 Bradford City A.F.C. [14] It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to be engulfed in flames.[11]. He later died in hospital. I have never had to deal with such a situation before, and this has put the city on its heels.'. Loading. My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. [16] Messages of condolence were also received from Helmut Kohl, Chedli Klibi and Felipe Gonzlez. 05/10/15 AT 12:00 PM BST Crowds on the pitch at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium after the stand caught fire Getty Images Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. Mr Antony Burrows said: 'One man was stood near me with his hair on fire. Some days I had two operations in a day. [57] Following the 30th anniversary of the fire, a number of news organisations named this man as Eric Bennett who was visiting his nephew in Bradford from Australia and attended the game on the day. Bradford council introduced its emergency plans procedure yesterday to give aid to many families affected by the disaster. 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. 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. I hope you enjoy some of the fascinating stories we have here.#History #Disasters There is no malicious vendetta, there is no over-exaggeration, there are no trumped-up facts. People ran onto the pitch with their clothes on fire while others were trapped at the back of the stand where they had gone to try to escape through the turnstiles. The Bradford Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today). 2022 DECOMPRESSION WAS DREAMY . The firemen who arrived there were met by a wall of flame and dense black smoke. There were no fire extinguishers. BBC Sport looks back at the Bradford City fire disaster that claimed the lives of 56 spectators when a stand became engulfed in flames on 11 May 1985. Another player went into the office space to ensure there was nobody there. Warning: Some readers may find parts of this content distressing. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. 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. he asks. 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. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe. 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. Copyright , Fire Brigades Union, 2023. 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. Uncensored coverage of the fire was transmitted minutes after the event on World of Sport and the BBC's Grandstand after the video cassette was physically driven to Yorkshire Television. So I threw myself over the wall and luckily someone dived in to catch me before I hit the floor.". 'It is the worst day in my life. 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. Bradford city council officials, off-duty policemen and guests from Bradford 's twin town, Munchengladbach, were there to celebrate. [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. 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. He started to walk home, unsure of what had happened to his father. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. [2] By 1911, his work was completed. Edited by BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko. His son Christopher normally watches from the stand but on Saturday he joined other fans elsewhere. Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. 'I think that is unlikely,' he said. The fire at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium in which 56 people died and more than 270 were injured is remembered 25 years 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. Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . Police worked until 4am the next morning, under lighting, to remove all the bodies. "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. Burning Man.NYC. But a minute or so later there was suddenly a bigger whoosh of smoke so they went to get a steward. Once we went out it was mayhem, manic, chaotic. 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 smoke was very, very dense. [10][11], Bradford's Telegraph & Argus newspaper published a souvenir issue for 11 May, entitled, "Spit and Polish for the Parade Ground". Disaster struck at 3.43 pm. Valley Parade during the early 1990s, after it had been redeveloped following the fire. Each year Lincoln send representatives to the annual memorial service in Bradford city centre and between 2007 and 2009, were managed by Bradford's captain that day, Peter Jackson. Below the seats were rows of litter which had piled up throughout the season, said witnesses. [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. (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. [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. The heat was so intense it caused car windows to shatter in the street. Nigel Adams who worked for 12 years as a fire investigator with a British fire service was spurred on by the book to join the call for a fresh inquiry, stating that Fletcher's book was "one of the best accounts of a fire, as seen from a victim's point of view, and as a piece of investigative writing, I have ever read". On 11 May 1985 a blaze ripped through Bradford City stadium's wooden structure in minutes as the club played Lincoln City in an end of season match. All that was left of. Everybody in the city was devastated, but there was an amazing number of volunteers. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. "I feel such information should be made public and people should look at those facts, then make their mind up on those facts. Speculation an Australian man started the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 IT killed 56 people and destroyed an entire stadium. A few minutes later, he felt a thump on his back from his father, who told him to run. Criticising Bradford City during the case, Mr. Michael Ogden QC, highlighted that the Club 'gave no or very little thought to fire precautions', despite repeated warnings. They stood outside the headquarters, staring at nothing in particular. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. However as the game against Lincoln progressed, a fire began just before half-time in the stand that ran alongside the pitch. "[35], The total amount of compensation to the 154 claimants was reported to be as high as 20million, with the payouts covered by insurance taken out by the club. He appealed to people to be patient while forensic experts identified bodies. We use necessary cookies to make our site work. It occurred during a league match in front of record numbers of spectators, on Saturday, 11 May 1985, killing 56 and injuring at least 265. A minute later he saw a small plume of smoke so he poured his coffee on it and so did his son. And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. ", Hendrie: "We stayed in the pub for hours. It was to be our day,' he said. "A disaster is not black and white - it is a mass of factors.". [34], During the case, Sir Joseph Cantley stated that: "It is only right that I should say that I think it would be unfair to conclude that Heginbotham, Tordoff, the Board of Directors, or any of them, were intentionally and callously indifferent to the safety of spectators using the stand. 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. The match was recorded by Yorkshire Television for their regional edition of the ITV Sunday afternoon football show The Big Match. He was completely on fire and it looked as though he simply did not know what had happened to him.'. Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. There were many cases of heroism, with more than 50 people later receiving police awards or commendations for bravery. 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. Artist Paul Town, who now lives in Baildon, was 15 at the time of the fire. Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out. "[33], Central to the test case were two letters sent to Bradford City's Club Secretary by the West Yorkshire Fire Brigade; the second letter dated 18 July 1984 specifically highlighted in full the improvements needed to be actioned at the ground as well as the fire risk at the main stand. [53], In 1986, a year after the disaster, Yorkshire Television aired a documentary presented by John Helm entitled Bradford City A Year of Healing. "[23], On the 25th anniversary of the fire, the University of Bradford established the United Kingdom's largest academic research centre in skin sciences as an extension to its plastic surgery and burns research unit.[24]. 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 game was irrelevant.". "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire After Hillsborough, the Bradford City FC stadium fire was the second worst sporting tragedy in England, leaving 56 dead and at least 265 injured. Today, locals continue to raise money for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit in memory of the victims of the fire. 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. Now a new film claims an Australian was responsible for the worst . The fire brigade said that when heat builds up so quickly it can cause flames to move much quicker than people can walk. Bradford fan Matthew Wildman, who was aged 17 and using crutches because of rheumatoid arthritis: "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. "If we were fed a lie about it being an accident, then we will be educated. [49], Parrs Wood Press published Four Minutes to Hell: The Story of the Bradford City Fire (2005) by author Paul Firth;[50] the title refers to the estimated time it took for the stand to be completely ablaze from the first flames being spotted. It was a gruesome sight to see bodies still sitting upright in their seats, covered in tarpaulin. [7] As it was the first piece of league silverware that the club had captured since they won the Division Three (North) title 56years earlier, 11,076supporters were in the ground. It's a nice little business and it's something positive that came out of a tragedy. The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. The Bradford City stadium fire was the worst fire disaster in the history of football.. The man we see at 7:50 walking out onto the pitch on fire was a retired mill worker. On 23 February 1987, Sir Joseph Cantley found the club two thirds responsible and the county council (which by this time had been abolished) one third responsible. Some people seem to have run back up the slope, thinking that they could get back through the turnstiles, and were burned alive. ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. [29] The Health and Safety Executive who were also part of the legal action were found to be non-liable. The next day work began on clearing the burnt out shell of the stand, and Justice Popplewell released his findings into the disaster. The disaster led to rigid new safety standards in UK stadiums, including the banning of new wooden grandstands. More than 3,500 people were crammed into the main stand area and this prevented people from moving away from the blaze quickly. Together, flanked by undocumented supporters, they managed to clear all but one person who made it to the front of the stand. [11], The fire escalated very rapidly, and flames became visible; police started to evacuate the stand. Only then do you realise the huge network of people the fire involved. The fire at a Brooklyn lumber storage building sent plumes of smoke over Williamsburg on Tuesday. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". It was unprecedented.". Called 'The 56' the play dramatises actual accounts of the Bradford City Fire with the purpose of the play showing how in times of adversity, the Football Club and the local community came together. Eight fires in the 18 years before the Bradford City fire were identified, many catastrophic and leading to large insurance payouts. It was during this treatment that Sharpe began to develop the Bradford Sling,[21] which applies even pressure across sensitive areas. 1985 disaster in Valley Parade Stadium, Bradford, England. "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. "The scene when I arrived was horrendous. He had to undergo counselling and was unable to go to another game for several years. 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. When Town reached the Midland Road side of the pitch, he was faced with horrific scenes of the injured being treated and comforted by ambulance crews, fans and players. 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. Valley Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire, was built in 1886 and was initially the home ground of Manningham Rugby Football Club. "We went out on to the pitch and I could see so many happy faces. "It is unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold. When cross examined by QC Robert Smith, then Chairman Stafford Heginbotham said he knew about the fire risk at the ground. "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". BurningMan.NYC will announce the dates and process for the 2023 grant cycle on this site & all BurningMan.NYC social channels in early Spring. 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. 'I have to tell you that the fire was so intense that identifying people is going to be the great problem we have to face.'. I rolled over on my head, jumped up and ran off.". Copyright 2023 IBTimes UK. The game was goalless after 40 minutes when play was stopped. Fifty-six people died. More than 200 people were taken to hospital, many with terrible injuries. Those with longer memories will also think of the Ibrox disaster of . By the time they got back, the whole thing had taken off. 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. As many supporters still required rescue from the stand, they were unable to immediately start fighting the source of the fire. [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. Like you, we're already preparing for Black Rock City to rise again. However, as there was no real precedent, most Bradfordians accepted that the fire was a terrible piece of misfortune. 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 saw people die in the stand - but it was only until then that I realised the scale of it.". And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. Hendrie: "Several minutes before half-time I saw there was a wee bit of bother. Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden. There is a twin memorial sculpture, unveiled on 11 May 1986, which has the names of the dead inscribed on it. People pushed him to the ground and tried to smother the flames. Heginbotham died in 1995, aged 61, and was never prosecuted for the stadium fire, despite the coroner later saying he had given serious consideration to bringing a charge of manslaughter as the club had failed to act on three separate warnings about a potential fire risk. Town began to paint two years ago, first of the old Bradford Park Avenue ground, before moving onto other stadiums. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. His most recent painting is a powerful image; two fans in Bradford and Lincoln City kits, surrounded by 54 other figures. It seemed to put it out. It wasn't until later on when assistant manager Terry Yorath came in and said: 'It's not good.'". I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. The speed at which fire engulfs the entire stand is insane. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. 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. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. At Valley Parade there are now two memorials. I had no idea. His father Tony went back the following day and said: "I wondered how anybody had got out alive, but I also began to feel guilty that I had got out when so many hadn't."

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