burning man bradford city stadium fire
'I think that is unlikely,' he said. [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. The 4-alarm fire started in a one-story lumber storage building and spread to an adjacent building . "I remember not being able to watch it, but we couldn't get out. [19] One fan put his jumper over a fellow supporter's head to extinguish flames. Last updated on 10 May 201510 May 2015.From the section Football, "People didn't die because of fires at football grounds. "It is the little things that show how much people are still involved the fire still has a big impact on people. The stand had already been condemned, and the demolition teams were due to start work two days later. Together, flanked by undocumented supporters, they managed to clear all but one person who made it to the front of the stand. Edited by BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko. The fire happened during a football match. Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . [8], The Bradford City matchday squad of players and staff consisted of Terry Yorath, Trevor Cherry, Chris Withe, Don Goodman, Eric McManus, Tony Clegg, John Hawley, Dave Evans, Bryan Edwards, John Hendrie, Mark Ellis, Stuart McCall, Peter Jackson, Bobby Campbell, Martin Singleton and Greg Abbott. The timber construction of St. Andrew's Stand, Main Stand and the roof of its popular Railway End terrace were immediately condemned as fire hazards, which saw seating capacity briefly cut to nil. 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. The disaster led to rigid new safety standards in UK stadiums, including the banning of new wooden grandstands. Television cameras spotted the outbreak of fire in Valley Parade's main stand at 15:40 BST. There was some kind of disturbance near the edge of a block of seats in the G section of the main stand. It was an awful thing to watch.". There were queues of people outside houses, which obviously wouldn't happen nowadays. Interviews conducted by BBC Radio Leeds' Tim Daley. "[55], Adams also went on to state that "I have read in some newspapers that he is being berated for his campaign to have a new inquiry. [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. It was appalling that public money was given to the club while it was still owned by the same shareholders under whose direction the fire had happened. People were wandering around outside the ground in disbelief, reminiscent of an air disaster, at what had happened the day before. Many were burnt to death at the turnstiles gates, which had also been locked after the match had begun. Most of those who escaped onto the pitch were saved.[10]. We had not been told anything.". Bradford City stadium fire disaster remembered - BBC Sport I've never seen anything like it. Pendleton: "Many people still don't want to talk about the disaster. [5] However, he also warned the club of a build-up of litter beneath the stand because of a gap between the seats. 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]. More than 3,500 people were crammed into the main stand area and this prevented people from moving away from the blaze quickly. All existing grandstands deemed fire risks were faced with immediate closure. The blame was through neglect, they didn't have the money to maintain the stand. 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. Valley Parade during the early 1990s, after it had been redeveloped following the fire. 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. 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." Representatives from the fire brigade were due to go to the club tomorrow to inspect it and see whether regulations were being observed. At 3.40pm, television commentator John Helm remarked upon a small fire in the main stand; in less than four minutes, with the windy conditions, the fire had engulfed the whole stand, trapping some people in their seats. [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. Bradford City initially prospered in the Second Division only missing out on promotion to the First Division in 1988 after failing to beat Ipswich Town at home on the final day of their first full season back at Valley Parade. I saw one man lying on the ground, burning from head to foot. [26], In July 1985, an inquest was held into the deaths; at the hearings the coroner James Turnbull recommended a death by misadventure outcome, with which the jury agreed. "Several minutes before half-time I saw there was a wee bit of bother. The extinguishers were put there so that they would be out of the way of fans who could use them as missiles, which apparently had happened previously. [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. It was to be our day,' he said. One retired mill worker made his way to the pitch, but was walking about on fire from head to foot. Soon they were all running for their lives. Bradford City stadium fire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe. [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. Football architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to carry out the work. Only then do you realise the huge network of people the fire involved. 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. Bradford City stadium fire: Police identify man who 'dropped the Fifty-six people died. [12] The work was expected to cost 400,000 (1.3million today). From 50 to 60 yards away, it was burning our faces it was unbearable. Cigarette smoking was also banned at all grounds with wooden stands. Watch Missed Warnings on BBC One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at 22:45 BST on Tuesday, 12 May. [citation needed] Mathew Wildman, aged 17 at the time of the fire, commented that "I must have had five different experiments carried out on me with all sorts of new techniques for skin grafts and I had potions injected into me that helped my face repair naturally over time. 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. 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'. 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'. There is no evidence in the book, he is just pointing out there are some coincidences. What Is Burning Man? Fletcher has been the only survivor to publicly challenge the inquiry's findings. BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire 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. Pendleton: "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. By the time the fire brigade arrived they were faced with huge flames and dense smoke. Bradford City Fire disaster: 36 years on the city's pioneering burns When cross examined by QC Robert Smith, then Chairman Stafford Heginbotham said he knew about the fire risk at the ground. At the time, however, Harrison says, Bradford just wanted to move on. 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 Bradford City Stadium Tragedy** - Firehouse We sat in the main stand the week before, but we had decided to move on that day," he says. But I've never spoken to anyone who thought the fire wasn't anything other than a tragic accident. We went there to win the last game in front of a home crowd. [6], The 198485 season had been one of Bradford City's most successful seasons, ending with City clinching the championship title courtesy of a 20 victory against Bolton Wanderers in the penultimate game of the season. "That's when I thought 'this is time to get out of here'. When the game began there was no way out for them, except by going on to the pitch. 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. Bradford fire: The Valley Parade disaster 30 years on Only one person had been positively identified by police by early last night. Some days I had two operations in a day. 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. "[16] As spectators began to cascade over the wall separating the stand from the pitch, the linesman on that side of the pitch informed referee Norman Glover, who stopped the game with three minutes remaining before half-time. 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 pile of rubbish that had been building up below. ", There has always been a close bond between the club and its supporters since the fire, he adds. One elderly man started to walk across the pitch with his clothes and face ablaze. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. [22], Immediately after the fire, Sharpe planned and treated the injuries of over 200 individuals, with many experimental treatments being used. She was hysterical and trying to find her three children. Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund had been set up and would eventually raise over 3.5m ($5.4m). Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985 | Fire Brigades Union 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. People were falling on to each other and screaming. 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I had to put my jumper over his hair to put the blaze out. The team's coach, Mr Terry Yorath, ran on to the pitch to try to help people away from the stand. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. He lit a cigarette and when it was coming to an end he put it down on to the floorboard and tried to put his foot on it to put it out. Stories From 11 May. Artist Paul Town, who now lives in Baildon, was 15 at the time of the fire. Spread by the wind, the wooden roof, which was covered with tarpaulin and sealed with asphalt and bitumen, caught fire. 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. Burning timbers and molten materials fell from the roof onto the crowd and seating below, and dense black smoke enveloped a passageway behind the stand, where many spectators were trying to escape. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire "I looked up and saw the flames. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. The sling is now used internationally in the treatment of burns. 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. 56 people dead. Somebody looked round and grabbed me by the hood of my coat to pull me over. [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. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. [10] Bradford City's coach Terry Yorath, whose family was in the stand,[19] ran onto the pitch to help evacuate people. That's when everybody else had the same thought. For the 30th anniversary of the fire a new version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was recorded at Voltage Studios in Bradford. 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. Most of the fans who took this escape route were killed or seriously injured. "[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. People were clambering over the wall on to the ground with their clothes and hair on fire. "I know it's a clich to say that, but it's true.". [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. "The scene when I arrived was horrendous. Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out. Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. "That was the legacy of the tragedy. 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 book also raises concerns about the speed of the inquiry and the fact that it commenced a few weeks after the fire and lasted for only a few days, whereas other inquiries into similar incidents, pre and post the Bradford fire, have taken years to come to fruition and months to be heard. Earlier this year, Town gave up working in construction to pursue painting full-time through his business Stadium Portraits. They were donated by Bradford's twin city of Hamm, Germany, and are situated in front of Bradford City Hall in both locations. [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. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, killed 170. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. He later died in hospital. 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. The local council was deemed to be one third responsible. Parents and children were laughing and joking with the police as the preliminaries to the game began. Bradford fire 11.5.1985.mpg - video Dailymotion They were immediately promoted back to the Football League in 1988, and survived for 23 years before being relegated again in 2011. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. 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. Valley Parade re-opened on 14 December 1986, when Bradford City beat an England XI 21 in a friendly. "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. "A lot of investigative work had been done by the police when I got there. The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. Brooklyn fire: Lumber storage warehouse in Williamsburg goes up in "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.". 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! 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. "I feel such information should be made public and people should look at those facts, then make their mind up on those facts. But looking back and seeing how much it really affected my dad makes me realise what we went through." He was actually one of the detectives involved in one of the gravest miscarriages of justices in the country, the murder of Carol Wilkinson in Bradford, where someone was locked up for 20 years for a murder he didn't commit."[60]. That duty was not a duty to the Club but a duty to the spectators and other persons in the stand.