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. ', Sports reporters covering the game also spoke of the disaster. 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. It wasn't just something that happened in the past.". Fifty-six people died. More than 3,500 people were crammed into the main stand area and this prevented people from moving away from the blaze quickly. "[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. "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. "Some of the local residents opened their houses so people could make phone calls. There were no extinguishers in the stand's passageway for fear of vandalism, and one spectator ran to the clubhouse to find one but was overcome by smoke and impeded by others trying to escape. A minute later he saw a small plume of smoke so he poured his coffee on it and so did his son. Fletcher has been the only survivor to publicly challenge the inquiry's findings. 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. At Valley Parade there are now two memorials. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. 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]. There is no evidence in the book, he is just pointing out there are some coincidences. Exactly 79 years to the day after the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, another tragic fire occurred in New York City. 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. Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands bore witness to the worst fire disaster in the history of English football. "The scene when I arrived was horrendous. Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985 | Fire Brigades Union [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. Fletcher said that "The club at the time took no actual responsibility for its actions and nobody has ever really been held accountable for the level of negligence which took place. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people. 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 . People smothered him to extinguish the flames, but he later died of his injuries in hospital. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. The wooden roof that burned was scheduled to be replaced by a steel roof later that same . 1908 - Collinwood school fire, in Collinwood, Ohio (soon absorbed by Cleveland ), on March 4, killed 175. "That was the legacy of the tragedy. "[16] At the front of the stand, men threw children over the wall to help them escape. 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. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. 56 dead and hundreds more injured. The stand had already been condemned, and the demolition teams were due to start work two days later. He later said: "I have never known anything like it, either before, or since. [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. Pendleton: "Many people still don't want to talk about the disaster. Bradford city council officials, off-duty policemen and guests from Bradford 's twin town, Munchengladbach, were there to celebrate. His son Christopher normally watches from the stand but on Saturday he joined other fans elsewhere. The game was irrelevant. 1985 disaster in Valley Parade Stadium, Bradford, England. Representatives from the fire brigade were due to go to the club tomorrow to inspect it and see whether regulations were being observed. Website by, Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985, Fundraising for firefighters and their families. The man in charge of investigating the fire, Detective Superintendent Kevin Cooper was at the game. My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. [48] Profits from the play's run at The Edinburgh Fringe were donated to the Bradford Burns Unit. 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. ", Popplewell: "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". Your brain tells you, you are not going anywhere. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. [10] The call was timed at 3:43pm. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. It was sort of the good thing to come out of the nightmare," says Simon Parker, a football reporter for the Telegraph and Argus. It spelt out 'thank you fans'. There were queues of people outside houses, which obviously wouldn't happen nowadays. It took the firemen four minutes to arrive at the ground but the speed of the fire was such that the blaze also took only four minutes to grip the entire stand. Bits of my arms, bits of my legs, part of my face, part of my scalp. We had not been told anything.". 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 use necessary cookies to make our site work. "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.". Previous warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter in the cavity below the seats in the stand. Fifty-six people died. 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. 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. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. Earlier this year, Town gave up working in construction to pursue painting full-time through his business Stadium Portraits. We were sat in our football kit, we didn't know what to do. 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). 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. 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 . Eighty names were unaccounted for and there were no positive indications about the cause of the fire. 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, killed 170. The whole fire seemed to erupt in seconds,' he said. As he scaled the brick perimeter wall at the front, his father stayed behind to help others escape. Fire on Upper Castle Street, Bradford Yorkshire Evening Post On This Day 1985: The Bradford City Fire 0:15 Bradford Mill fire 24:43 The Bradford Fire 0:26 Large fire in Bradford Yorkshire Evening Post Bradford Mill fire 0:34 Bradford Great Horton Mill fire 0:10 Fire at Bradford school (video: Glynn Beck) 4:05 bradford city fc fire 1985 The Most Tragic Nightclub Fires In History - Grunge.com But many, including Harrison, believe it could unnecessarily reopen wounds if it does happen. "It wasn't covering anything up, it wasn't avoiding the truth of what happened, everyone knows what happened, everyone knows it shouldn't have happened. "Could any man really be as unlucky as Heginbotham had been?" [] I still have terrible memories of the day, but it is the humanity of those that helped us that I reflect on."[41]. "[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. "[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. The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. He was completely on fire and it looked as though he simply did not know what had happened to him.'. Those who rescued people were themselves burned in the process. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. [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. 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. 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. He is quoted as saying: "I don't believe the statement of retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer at all. 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. "A disaster is not black and white - it is a mass of factors.". One family was in tears, the mother shaking. 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. 56 people dead. > Contacts> Join us> Circulars> Training courses> Sign up to Rollcall. At 3.40pm, five minutes before half-time, a glowing light was spotted three rows from the back of block G. "We were stood in line with the 18-yard, the penalty area, when we saw some smoke and a bit of fire diagonally from where we were. As we move ahead on the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, sustainability projects are taking center stage. BBC News - Bradford fire 'will live with me forever' There were no fire extinguishers. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. 48,785 Location Lake Jonathan Creek The footage never gets any less shocking. And all you could smell was burning.". Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. 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. [10][11], Bradford's Telegraph & Argus newspaper published a souvenir issue for 11 May, entitled, "Spit and Polish for the Parade Ground". Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. The next day work began on clearing the burnt out shell of the stand, and Justice Popplewell released his findings into the disaster. It is a simple account laid out for all to see. The blaze, at the Happy Land Social Club in the Bronx, killed 87 people, the . Another player went into the office space to ensure there was nobody there. BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire Burning timber and molten material began to fall onto the seating below and black smoke enveloped the passageway behind, where fans were trying to escape. Bradford City were supposed to be celebrating on 11 May 1985. Some of the dead were found at the bottom of these steps. Read about our approach to external linking. Soon they were all running for their lives. [40] Matthew Wildman was 17 at the time and needed crutches to walk because of rheumatoid arthritis. The name of the event comes from its culminating ceremony: the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy, referred to as the Man, that occurs on the penultimate night of Burning Man, which is the Saturday evening before Labor Day. However as the game against Lincoln progressed, a fire began just before half-time in the stand that ran alongside the pitch. Within five minutes the whole stand was engulfed in flames. I hope you enjoy some of the fascinating stories we have here.#History #Disasters [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. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. Somebody looked round and grabbed me by the hood of my coat to pull me over. 'I think that is unlikely,' he said. Football architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to carry out the work. The smoke was choking. 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. He asks the reader to make their mind up about whether these fires were a coincidence or not.". 'It is the worst day in my life. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. Supporters either ran upwards to the back of the stand or downwards to the pitch to escape. She was an. The sling is now used internationally in the treatment of burns. Edited by BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko. Hendrie: "Us players must have been in the tunnel for seconds - and I mean seconds. 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. His most recent painting is a powerful image; two fans in Bradford and Lincoln City kits, surrounded by 54 other figures. "It is unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire. Some days I had two operations in a day. However, the turnstiles were locked and none of the stadium staff were present to unlock them, leaving no escape through the normal entrances and exits. 'This was a dreadful afternoon. Others ran forward to try to clamber over a fence and a small wall on to the pitch. Most recognizably, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually to build Black Rock City, a participative temporary metropolis . It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe. "[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]. No one gave it the attention it ought to have received.. .. [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. Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . "Until I arrived home my mum and my brother had no idea whether I was alive or dead. 199 Bradford City Stadium Fire Photos and Premium High Res Pictures "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. It was also a catalyst for the substantial redevelopment and modernisation of many British football grounds within the following thirty years. ", IBT UK Morning Brief - Let the best of International News come to you. Fire disaster at football match (Bradford City stadium fire) - YouTube Sign in to confirm your age 0:00 / 5:23 Sign in to confirm your age This video may be inappropriate for some users.. [6] 1908 - Parker Building, New York City, January 10. I was there in hospital for eight weeks - it felt like a lifetime. It was an awful thing to watch.". 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. ", There has always been a close bond between the club and its supporters since the fire, he adds. From 50 to 60 yards away, it was burning our faces it was unbearable. Speculation an Australian man started the Bradford City stadium fire in 1985 IT killed 56 people and destroyed an entire stadium. Some of those who died were still sitting upright in their seats, covered by remnants of tarpaulin that had fallen from the roof. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. "That was the moment that I realised not everybody was going to get out. The fire was described as the worst fire disaster in the history of British football, and the worst football related disaster since 66spectators died at Ibrox in 1971. 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 got stuck against the wall with the weight of people behind me trying to get over. But the sheer density of numbers coupled with the thick, choking smoke made people collapse. 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. [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. "But the feeling here is that it is hard to believe that someone would purposefully start a fire. 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. "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". The club's success had swollen the crowd to 10,000 and arguments will rage about fire precautions at the ground. The stand had been officially condemned and was due to be replaced with a steel structure after the season ended. [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. The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. The blaze quickly engulfed the stand as Bradford played Lincoln City and claimed the lives of 59 people on May 11, 1985. 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. Helm: "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". Twenty nine years ago on this date, 56 people tragically died when a fire erupted at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground The day was supposed to be one of celebration for Bradford who had just won the Third Division trophy. "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 - Wikipedia It was during this treatment that Sharpe began to develop the Bradford Sling,[21] which applies even pressure across sensitive areas. And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. Survival Guide 2022 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. Burning Man.NYC. 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. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire - HISTORY However, when Bradford City won promotion to the highest level of English football, Division One, in 1908, club officials sanctioned an upgrade programme. 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. Some had been crushed as they tried to crawl under turnstiles to escape. A police officer shouted to a colleague for an extinguisher, but his call was misheard and instead the fire brigade were radioed. Since 1903, when the club was formed, Bradford City Association Football Club had played their home games at the ground. There is a twin memorial sculpture, unveiled on 11 May 1986, which has the names of the dead inscribed on it. Bradford City fire was started by a tourist who dropped a cigarette [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. [10] Of those who died, 11 were under-18 and 23 were aged 65 or over,[20] and the oldest victim was the club's former chairman, Sam Firth, aged 86. 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. I had to put my jumper over his hair to put the blaze out. I rolled over on my head, jumped up and ran off.". [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. [47] Scriptwriters of the play spent hours with the survivors and victims families. 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. More than 200 people were taken to hospital, many with terrible injuries. 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. It was to be our day,' he said. Last updated on 10 May 201510 May 2015.From the section Football, "People didn't die because of fires at football grounds. The Bradford way was keep it to ourselves - it worked collectively that we did that. Mr Antony Burrows said: 'One man was stood near me with his hair on fire. 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. [5] However, he also warned the club of a build-up of litter beneath the stand because of a gap between the seats. Like all areas of forensic investigations, it has come on leaps and bounds. There was hardly anything left of him.'. 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." On 11 May 1985 a fire erupted in the midst of a third-division tie between Bradford City and Lincoln City at Valley Parade, killing 54 home supporters and two Lincoln fans. The 4-alarm fire started in a one-story lumber storage building and spread to an adjacent building .