Bradford City Fire disaster: 36 years on the city's pioneering burns The game was goalless after 40 minutes when play was stopped. The blaze quickly engulfed the stand as Bradford played Lincoln City and claimed the lives of 59 people on May 11, 1985. "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. On the recording are Dene Michael (Black Lace), The Chuckle Brothers, Clive Jackson of Dr & The Medics, Owen Paul, Billy Pearce, Billy Shears, Flint Bedrock, Danny Tetley and Rick Wild of The Overlanders. By the time they got back, the whole thing had taken off. There is a twin memorial sculpture, unveiled on 11 May 1986, which has the names of the dead inscribed on it. The heat inside the stand literally ignited people where they stood. "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.". Survival Guide 2022 [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. However, the fire had consumed the stand entirely by that point and they were faced with huge flames and very dense smoke. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. [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. Two or three burly men put their weight against it and smashed the gate open. The Man burns on September 02, 2023. 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. 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 stand itself was engulfed in seconds, almost as if petrol had been ignited throughout the block. Following the hearing in 1986, a test case was brought against the club by David Britton, a police sergeant serving on the day, and by Susan Fletcher, who lost her husband John, 11-year-old son Andrew, John's brother Peter and his father Edmond in the fire. 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. [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. 1909 - Flores Theater fire, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, on February 15, killed 250. "A lot of investigative work had been done by the police when I got there. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. [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. The Popplewell Inquiry found that the club had been warned about the fire risk that the rubbish accumulating under the stand had posed. Led by former England international Trevor Cherry, the Bantams won only their third divisional title and earned a return to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1937. 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. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. Many who had walked out of the fire stood on the pitch looking back in horror as the flames destroyed the stand. [10][16] More than 265 supporters were injured. " Burning Man," " Burning Man Project," " Black Rock City ", and . But looking back and seeing how much it really affected my dad makes me realise what we went through." He was helped out of the stand by other fans and spent a period of time in hospital. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. But the sheer density of numbers coupled with the thick, choking smoke made people collapse. 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. ", Hendrie: "The players were told to go to the pub at the top of the road, we didn't know at this point if anyone had been killed. 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. [14] It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to be engulfed in flames.[11]. Speculation an Australian man started the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 IT killed 56 people and destroyed an entire stadium. Martin Fletcher was talking to BBC Look North. He later died in hospital. One letter from the council said the problems "should be rectified as soon as possible"; a second said: "A carelessly discarded cigarette could give rise to a fire risk." You could hardly breathe. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". His face was burned and his car, which he had parked outside the ground, was destroyed. The Bradford way was keep it to ourselves - it worked collectively that we did that. [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. The Most Tragic Nightclub Fires In History - Grunge.com [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 smoke was choking. "[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. The worst fire disaster in English football history played out on live television on May 11, after Valley Parade's main stand caught fire during a match between Bradford City and Lincoln City on . Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire We didn't know how serious it was.". Following his own 15 year investigation Into the fire, which killed four of his family members while he escaped, former tax accountant Martin Fletcher released 56: The Story of the Bradford Fire (2015). 24 Bradford City A.F.C. Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. The fundraising events included a reunion of the 1966 World Cup Final Starting XI that began with the original starting teams of both England and West Germany, and was held at Leeds United's stadium, Elland Road, in July 1985 to raise funds for the Appeal fund. 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. [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. Everybody in the city was devastated, but there was an amazing number of volunteers. "That was the moment that I realised not everybody was going to get out. Most recognizably, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually to build Black Rock City, a participative temporary metropolis . Stories From 11 May. Copyright , Fire Brigades Union, 2023. He was asked if precautions would have been adequate had the club been in the Second Division. 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. She was an. I looked down and I saw my hands melting. After Hillsborough, the Bradford City FC stadium fire was the second worst sporting tragedy in England, leaving 56 dead and at least 265 injured. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. Somebody looked round and grabbed me by the hood of my coat to pull me over. Samuel Firth, a founder of the supporters' club, was the oldest victim at 86; four 11-year-old boys were the youngest. The team was presented with the Division Three championship trophy - their first trophy in 56 years - in front of 11,000 jubilant fans before the start of their match against Lincoln City. 'The smoke was very, very dense. Others ran forward to try to clamber over a fence and a small wall on to the pitch. 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 was in the main stand when the fire happened," he says. 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. [4] Football ground writer Simon Inglis had described the view from the stand as "like watching football from the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel" because of its antiquated supports and struts. Television cameras spotted the outbreak of fire in Valley Parade's main stand at 15:40 BST. He was completely on fire and it looked as though he simply did not know what had happened to him.'. 'It is the worst day in my life. The stand had no perimeter fencing to keep fans from accessing the pitch, thus averting an instance of crush asphyxia as in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden. "Then we ran out in our tracksuits each holding a massive card with a letter. [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. "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. 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. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. At the final home match against Barnsley at the end of April, Bradford City fans collected more than 8,000 in a bucket collection. However, as there was no real precedent, most Bradfordians accepted that the fire was a terrible piece of misfortune. The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. The firemen who arrived there were met by a wall of flame and dense black smoke. 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. I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. Your brain tells you, you are not going anywhere. BBC News - Bradford fire 'will live with me forever' An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. 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". 'I think that is unlikely,' he said. The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. "We stayed in the pub for hours. One family was in tears, the mother shaking. By the time the fire brigade arrived they were faced with huge flames and dense smoke. "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. Other parents whose children had not arrived home on Saturday called at the police station or sat in cars outside, waiting for news. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. I rolled over on my head, jumped up and ran off.". Previous warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter in the cavity below the seats in the stand. For the 30th anniversary of the fire a new version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was recorded at Voltage Studios in Bradford. The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were initially alerted. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. I saw one man lying on the ground, burning from head to foot. However as the game against Lincoln progressed, a fire began just before half-time in the stand that ran alongside the pitch. 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 . My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. 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. Website by, Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985, Fundraising for firefighters and their families. Tarpaulin fell on them and stuck to their clothes and then ignited. We, and the world, need Burning Man and Black Rock City more than ever. Like you, we're already preparing for Black Rock City to rise again. Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands bore witness to the worst fire disaster in the history of English football. I was there in hospital for eight weeks - it felt like a lifetime. [52], On 1 May 2010, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fire the football TV show Football Focus was hosted from Valley Parade by Dan Walker, the show included interviews with Terry Yorath and John Hendrie. Then flames licked the underside of the seats, which were a combination of wood and plastic. ", On 26 January 2016, the IPCC declined calls for an investigation and published its full response online. Bradford City stadium fire. A football match in Bradford UK ends [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. 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. 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. "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.". A few minutes later, he felt a thump on his back from his father, who told him to run. 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. ", "There was a throw-in in front of the stand where the fire started - something caught my eye. 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. Burning Man NYC While Valley Parade was re-developed, Bradford City played games at various neighbouring grounds: Elland Road, Leeds; Leeds Road, Huddersfield; and Odsal Stadium, Bradford. More than 3,500 people were crammed into the main stand area and this prevented people from moving away from the blaze quickly. One man clambered over burning seats to help a fan,[18] as did player John Hawley,[15] and one officer led fans to an exit, only to find it shut and had to turn around. Bradford City stadium fire | Football Wiki | Fandom I hope you enjoy some of the fascinating stories we have here.#History #Disasters My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. 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. [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. "[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. The 1984-85 season had been one of the most successful in Bradford City's 82-year history. 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. 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. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. "I was in the stand opposite when the fire broke out. "How quickly the fire spread is difficult to convey to people.". 'They did not have a chance. Fifty-six people died. Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. 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. 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. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. Those who rescued people were themselves burned in the process. 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, killed 170. 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. The Bradford City stadium fire was the worst fire disaster in the history of football.. But all the people being treated, we formed a family, a bond.". But many, including Harrison, believe it could unnecessarily reopen wounds if it does happen. And the black and twisted skeleton of the burnt stand stood out in the night. [47] Scriptwriters of the play spent hours with the survivors and victims families. There were many cases of heroism, with more than 50 people later receiving police awards or commendations for bravery. [1] When the association football club was formed, the ground was changed very little and had no covered accommodation. Although there was no perimeter fencing, such as led to the devastating crush at Hillsborough, locked turnstiles meant that many fans who tried to escape by that means were killed or seriously injured. 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. It's terrifying how quickly fire spreads in the wrong circumstances. 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 courts held the club to be two thirds responsible, finding that it gave "no or very little thought to fire precautions" despite repeated warnings. The blame was through neglect, they didn't have the money to maintain the stand. "[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]. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. And all you could smell was burning.". After its renovation in 1990 they named the home end of their ground the 'Stacey-West Stand', in honour of Bill Stacey and Jim West, the two Lincoln City supporters who were amongst the 56 to die at Bradford. I had no idea. "A disaster is not black and white - it is a mass of factors.". And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. Valley Parade in Bradford, West Yorkshire, was built in 1886 and was initially the home ground of Manningham Rugby Football Club. Bradford fire: The Valley Parade disaster 30 years on "[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. It slipped through a hole in the floorboard. "[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. It's a nice little business and it's something positive that came out of a tragedy. Helm: "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". The Bradford Burns Unit was set up by Professor David Sharpe after he received many of the victims following the fire. "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. Bradford City Stadium Fire 56 Dead & 100's Injured The Bradford City stadium fire was a stadium disaster that occurred during an English League Third Division fixture between Bradford City and Lincoln City on Saturday, 11 May 1985, killing 56 and injuring at least 265. Fans in the next stand (the "Bradford End") pulled down the fence separating them from the pitch. It is impossible so far to be accurate about the precise cause of the fire, with grossly conflicting reports from witnesses. Bradford City continues to support the burns unit at the University of Bradford as its official charity. Some people seem to have run back up the slope, thinking that they could get back through the turnstiles, and were burned alive. 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. Bradford City Stadium Fire - 36 years ago today | RedCafe.net Another player went into the office space to ensure there was nobody there. [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. "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. 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. It was nearly double the season's average of 6,610 and included 3,000fans in the ground's main stand. So I threw myself over the wall and luckily someone dived in to catch me before I hit the floor.". I don't see that. Soon they were all running for their lives. "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. [11], The disaster also had a long-lasting effect on the fans. 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. [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. Just look at how many people were standing around just 50-60 meters away from the blazing inferno. "[59], Raymond Falconer's reliability had previously been questioned by Daniel Taylor in The Guardian who stated that: "The Bradford Telegraph and Argus described him as a 'top detective'. Watch Missed Warnings on BBC One in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at 22:45 BST on Tuesday, 12 May. Bradford City fire was started by a tourist who dropped a cigarette Yet many of those with terrible memories of the tragedy also take heart in the compassion born out of the devastation. Bradford City fire: Police reveal who was responsible for 1985 Valley However, when Bradford City won promotion to the highest level of English football, Division One, in 1908, club officials sanctioned an upgrade programme. The Bradford Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today). Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". Radiated heat from the burning roof of the stand set fire to the clothing of fans trapped underneath. Ironically, off-duty firemen were at the ground selling raffle tickets for a charity football match which should have been held yesterday. Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund had been set up and would eventually raise over 3.5m ($5.4m). There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. By this date the appeal fund set up for survivors had paid out more than 4m with further payouts expected as the effects of physical and mental injury were determined. 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire. 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. 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. From 50 to 60 yards away, it was burning our faces it was unbearable. Football architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to carry out the work. The Bradford City stadium fire : r/MorbidReality [] I still have terrible memories of the day, but it is the humanity of those that helped us that I reflect on."[41]. The 51 other bodies of children, women and men were so badly burned that identification will take many days. Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985 | Fire Brigades Union Earlier this year, Town gave up working in construction to pursue painting full-time through his business Stadium Portraits. [40] Matthew Wildman was 17 at the time and needed crutches to walk because of rheumatoid arthritis. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. Instead it turned into a day of appalling tragedy. "It made me realise life is too short." Fire disaster at football match (Bradford City stadium fire) "Could any man really be as unlucky as Heginbotham had been?" The flames suddenly appeared and the whole roof took alight,' he said. Artist Paul Town, who now lives in Baildon, was 15 at the time of the fire. We had to run up the stairs, through the office doors and out on to the street. "The fire still has a big impact on people," Parker says. 56 people dead. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. "I looked up and saw the flames. 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. The local council was deemed to be one third responsible.