Then the flames and smoke were all over the place.'. "How quickly the fire spread is difficult to convey to people.". 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. But I've never spoken to anyone who thought the fire wasn't anything other than a tragic accident. The game was goalless after 40 minutes when play was stopped. Pendleton: "As I ran away I remember turning around and looking and just seeing this wall of grey smoke pouring out and pushing thousands of people in front of it. Mr Tony Delahunte, who was presenting a programme from the ground for Pennine Radio, said 'The fire seemed to me to start with a smoke bomb. 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. It wasn't until later on when assistant manager Terry Yorath came in and said: 'It's not good.'". We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. Original television coverage of the fire, as caught by cameras covering the match. It was unprecedented.". 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. The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. Stories From 11 May. he asks. As the blaze spread, the wooden stands and roofcovered with layers of highly flammable bituminous roofing feltquickly went ablaze. You may notice some big changes in Black Rock City this year. Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. "If we were fed a lie about it being an accident, then we will be educated. We were given the trophy before the game in front of the supporters and had to do a lap of honour. 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. It spelt out 'thank you fans'. 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. It's terrifying how quickly fire spreads in the wrong circumstances. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. A new book, written by Valley Parade survivor Martin Fletcher, claims then-Bradford City chairman Stafford Heginbotham had previously netted millions of pounds from insurance payouts after at least eight previous fires at businesses he was associated with. "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. "But the feeling here is that it is hard to believe that someone would purposefully start a fire. 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. Popplewell's report was nowhere close to the quality of Lord Justice Taylor's report after Hillsborough, and since reading it as an adult I have always been very disappointed in it and considered it a poor piece of work. "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". ", There has always been a close bond between the club and its supporters since the fire, he adds. Bradford fan David Pendleton, then aged 21 and stood in the main stand: "For the first minute people were laughing and joking, it wasn't anything serious. People smothered him to extinguish the flames, but he later died of his injuries in hospital. 'The fire just spread along the length of the stand in seconds. Like you, we're already preparing for Black Rock City to rise again. 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. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. 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. 'This was a dreadful afternoon. The blaze, at the Happy Land Social Club in the Bronx, killed 87 people, the . [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. Some had been crushed as they tried to crawl under turnstiles to escape. [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. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. [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. "I want the truth to be out, the myths to be broken, so that I can get on with my life rather than knowing this information and having to live with this information. Last updated on 10 May 201510 May 2015.From the section Football, "People didn't die because of fires at football grounds. The Man burns on September 02, 2023. Stadium disasters have blighted the world of sport throughout modern history. We use necessary cookies to make our site work. 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. The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. But a minute or so later there was suddenly a bigger whoosh of smoke so they went to get a steward. He photographed the blaze from start to finish and the police will use this as evidence when an inquest is held. One elderly man started to walk across the pitch with his clothes and face ablaze. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. 2022 DECOMPRESSION WAS DREAMY . I saw one man lying on the ground, burning from head to foot. People had walked through turnstiles and along a wooden corridor before descending the steps into their seats. So I threw myself over the wall and luckily someone dived in to catch me before I hit the floor.". The speed at which fire engulfs the entire stand is insane. Within five minutes the whole stand was engulfed in flames. It wasn't just something that happened in the past.". Some of the dead were found at the bottom of these steps. Website by, Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985, Fundraising for firefighters and their families. Surviving supporters, former Bradford players, the sole television commentator at the stadium and the judge who led the government inquiry tell the BBC about that fateful afternoon and its aftermath. "I was burnt from top to bottom, on and off. There were queues of people outside houses, which obviously wouldn't happen nowadays. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. The smoke was choking. [45] In total, 28 police officers and 22 supporters, who were publicly documented as having saved at least one life, later received police commendations or bravery awards. "[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. However as the game against Lincoln progressed, a fire began just before half-time in the stand that ran alongside the pitch. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. Wealso use analytics cookies that don't track usersto help us improve it. Bradford council introduced its emergency plans procedure yesterday to give aid to many families affected by the disaster. One retired mill worker made his way to the pitch, but was walking about on fire from head to foot. The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were initially alerted. Valley Parade during the early 1990s, after it had been redeveloped following the fire. Copyright 2023 IBTimes UK. [12] The work was expected to cost 400,000 (1.3million today). Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden. He later died in hospital. A call was made on a police radio to the police operations room in Bradford and relayed to the fire brigade at 3.43 pm. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. Helm: "There was a throw-in in front of the stand where the fire started - something caught my eye. We sat in the main stand the week before, but we had decided to move on that day," he says. 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. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. 'The smoke was very, very dense. 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. 56 dead and hundreds more injured. 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. "Me and my dad eventually got out safely but it was a bit of a struggle at one point because the walls getting down to the pitch level were quite high I didn't get a growth spurt until I was 16 or 17.". 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. Listen to Valley Parade: Bradford City Fire Remembered on BBC Radio Leeds (18:00 BST) and BBC Radio 5 live (21:00 BST). The playing area and stands were very basic but the ground had enough room for 18,000spectators. What Is Burning Man? [2] By 1911, his work was completed. Thirty years on, the majority of survivors still find it too difficult to talk about what happened at the Valley Parade on 11 May 1985. As he received the injured at Bradford Royal Infirmary he was able to call upon 10% of the UK's population of plastic surgeons. Once we went out it was mayhem, manic, chaotic. [14] It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to be engulfed in flames.[11]. Watch Missed Warnings on BBC One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at 22:45 BST on Tuesday, 12 May. "For the first minute people were laughing and joking, it wasn't anything serious. [22], Immediately after the fire, Sharpe planned and treated the injuries of over 200 individuals, with many experimental treatments being used. There were many cases of heroism, with more than 50 people later receiving police awards or commendations for bravery. Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund had been set up and would eventually raise over 3.5m ($5.4m). People were falling on to each other and screaming. More than 250 others were injured in one of the biggest disasters at a British football ground. As we move ahead on the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, sustainability projects are taking center stage. Helm: "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". In March 1985 the club's plans became more apparent when it took delivery of steel for a new roof. The stand slopes downwards from the South Parade. ", ITV football commentator John Helm, who provided live commentary of the unfolding disaster across the nation: "We wouldn't normally have covered that game - no question about it. ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. The government inquiry into the disaster concluded the fire spread "faster than a man could run". We didn't know how serious it was.". He appealed to people to be patient while forensic experts identified bodies. Wildman: "I was dragged on to the pitch and into a line of people, who couldn't do much for themselves and were lying there. A few minutes later, he felt a thump on his back from his father, who told him to run. A Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund raised 3.5m for the victims and their families. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. Of the 56people who died in the fire,[2] 54 were Bradford supporters and two supported Lincoln. At the time, however, Harrison says, Bradford just wanted to move on. The fire claimed young and old alike, with most fatalities occurring at the rear of the stand where people sought escape only to find turnstiles locked. ", "If the inquiry is opened again, we will await to see what evidence there is to prove is wasn't an accident," he says. Valley Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire, was built in 1886 and was initially the home ground of Manningham Rugby Football Club. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. I have never had to deal with such a situation before, and this has put the city on its heels.'. "We stayed in the pub for hours. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. 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 had to put my jumper over his hair to put the blaze out. She was hysterical and trying to find her three children. Then flames licked the underside of the seats, which were a combination of wood and plastic. Many were burnt to death at the turnstiles gates, which had also been locked after the match had begun. "[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. They wouldn't let us because then people would get in the way of fire engines, ambulances and police trying to get in. "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. "[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. Mike Harrison, the editor of the Bradford City Football Club fanzine The City Gent, was there on the day. 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. I don't know where Falconer is getting this cock-and-bull story from the inaccuracies in this report [documentary] are dumbfounding. 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". 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. A police officer shouted to a colleague for an extinguisher, but his call was misheard and instead the fire brigade were radioed. Pendleton: "Many people still don't want to talk about the disaster. Hillsborough looms the largest in our collective consciousness, but there were also the many deaths that occurred at Heysel Stadium in 1985, as well as the Bradford City stadium fire that same year. [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. Although I was only 12 at the time, 11 May 1985 is a day. "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. We, and the world, need Burning Man and Black Rock City more than ever. It is not thought that there was any crowd trouble in this section but one theory the police are investigating is that a flare or smoke-bomb was thrown or was accidentally dropped. 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. [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. [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. When the game began there was no way out for them, except by going on to the pitch. 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. I saw a group of people around the smoke laughing. Just look at how many people were standing around just 50-60 meters away from the blazing inferno. The match was recorded by Yorkshire Television for their regional edition of the ITV Sunday afternoon football show The Big Match. 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. 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. "[37], Fletcher subsequently published a book in 2015, Fifty-Six: The Story of the Bradford Fire which revealed a history of fires at businesses owned by the Bradford City chairman Stafford Heginbotham. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. 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. [16] Messages of condolence were also received from Helmut Kohl, Chedli Klibi and Felipe Gonzlez. "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. Most of the fans who took this escape route were killed or seriously injured. 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. Below the seats were rows of litter which had piled up throughout the season, said witnesses. Today, locals continue to raise money for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit in memory of the victims of the fire. The Bradford Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today). Since 1903, when the club was formed, Bradford City Association Football Club had played their home games at the ground. It was during this treatment that Sharpe began to develop the Bradford Sling,[21] which applies even pressure across sensitive areas. "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. One woman was seen running around the ground with no skin on her arms and face. Ironically, off-duty firemen were at the ground selling raffle tickets for a charity football match which should have been held yesterday. Police removed the last body from the ground at 4 am yesterday, working under arc lights. [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 man we see at 7:50 walking out onto the pitch on fire was a retired mill worker. His son Christopher normally watches from the stand but on Saturday he joined other fans elsewhere. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. At the time of the disaster, many stadiums had perimeter fencing between the stands and the pitch to prevent incidents of football hooliganism particularly pitch invasions which were rife during the 1980s. 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 referee blew his whistle to stop the game and told us to get back to the dressing room.". "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. The stories of escapes are legion. He went on to state: "In 1985 fire investigation in Britain was in its infancy and some would say at that time most fire investigators were not much more than dust-kickers. Radiated heat from the burning roof of the stand set fire to the clothing of fans trapped underneath. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. "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. By the time they got back, the whole thing had taken off. "Several minutes before half-time I saw there was a wee bit of bother. [27], Explaining his decision, Sir Joseph Cantley stated: "As I have already stated, the primary duty was on the Club and the functions of the County Council were supervisory and its liability is for negligent breach of a common law duty arising out of the way in which they dealt with or ignored their statutory powers. Among the main outcomes of the inquiry were the banning of new wooden grandstands at all UK sports grounds, the immediate closure of other wooden stands deemed unsafe and the banning of smoking in other wooden stands. "Then we ran out in our tracksuits each holding a massive card with a letter. Cigarette smoking was also banned at all grounds with wooden stands. 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. It made me realise life is too short and I'm a happier person for it.". It was also a catalyst for the substantial redevelopment and modernisation of many British football grounds within the following thirty years. [11], The fire escalated very rapidly, and flames became visible; police started to evacuate the stand. 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. Eight fires in the 18 years before the Bradford City fire were identified, many catastrophic and leading to large insurance payouts. More than 3,500 people were crammed into the main stand area and this prevented people from moving away from the blaze quickly. 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. All existing grandstands deemed fire risks were faced with immediate closure. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. 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. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. Bradford City continues to support the burns unit at the University of Bradford as its official charity. 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. 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. [29] The Health and Safety Executive who were also part of the legal action were found to be non-liable. 05/12/15 AT 9:58 AM BST Crowds on the pitch at the Valley Parade stadium after a stand caught fire Getty Images Police have revealed the identity of the man who they believe was responsible. It was nearly double the season's average of 6,610 and included 3,000fans in the ground's main stand. "I looked up and saw the flames. It was the brainchild of Bradford City fan Lloyd Spencer with all profits going to the Bradford Royal Infirmary Burns Unit.[43]. 1.7M subscribers in the CatastrophicFailure community. Hendrie: "Several minutes before half-time I saw there was a wee bit of bother. 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. 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. "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. A fire at a third division match between Bradford City and Lincoln City killed 56, including 11 children, and injured hundreds more. Those who rescued people were themselves burned in the process. As he scaled the brick perimeter wall at the front, his father stayed behind to help others escape. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. I was there in hospital for eight weeks - it felt like a lifetime. [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. He started to walk home, unsure of what had happened to his father. Previous warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter in the cavity below the seats in the stand. 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. Some of those who died were still sitting upright in their seats, covered by remnants of tarpaulin that had fallen from the roof. "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. "We wouldn't normally have covered that game - no question about it. The chairman of the football club, Mr Stafford Heginbotham, was near to tears as he explained what had happened. 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. He is quoted as saying: "I don't believe the statement of retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer at all. 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. "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 one thing I remember at the time is we were grateful that we got an answer quickly after the inquiry. The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. 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. Fletcher has been the only survivor to publicly challenge the inquiry's findings. 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. Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. All Rights Reserved. The sling is now used internationally in the treatment of burns. The fire brigade said that when heat builds up so quickly it can cause flames to move much quicker than people can walk.
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