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. She was an. I dread to imagine how many more could have died if the wind had been blowing in the direction of the pitch, instead of away from it. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. Wealso use analytics cookies that don't track usersto help us improve it. It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe. [22], Immediately after the fire, Sharpe planned and treated the injuries of over 200 individuals, with many experimental treatments being used. 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. 24 Bradford City A.F.C. [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. They stood outside the headquarters, staring at nothing in particular. Wildman: "I was burnt from top to bottom, on and off. "[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. One retired mill worker made his way to the pitch, but was walking about on fire from head to foot. 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. But looking back and seeing how much it really affected my dad makes me realise what we went through." [10][11], Bradford's Telegraph & Argus newspaper published a souvenir issue for 11 May, entitled, "Spit and Polish for the Parade Ground". Somebody looked round and grabbed me by the hood of my coat to pull me over. [12] The work was expected to cost 400,000 (1.3million today). [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. "[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. A Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund raised 3.5m for the victims and their families. Just look at how many people were standing around just 50-60 meters away from the blazing inferno. 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. Bits of my arms, bits of my legs, part of my face, part of my scalp. 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. 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. Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. The fire happened during a football match. People were arriving in a daze outside Bradford police headquarters on Saturday evening and early yesterday. I saw one man lying on the ground, burning from head to foot. 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. Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. Read about our approach to external linking. [40] Matthew Wildman was 17 at the time and needed crutches to walk because of rheumatoid arthritis. Then flames licked the underside of the seats, which were a combination of wood and plastic. [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. As he received the injured at Bradford Royal Infirmary he was able to call upon 10% of the UK's population of plastic surgeons. So I threw myself over the wall and luckily someone dived in to catch me before I hit the floor.". 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. Representatives from the fire brigade were due to go to the club tomorrow to inspect it and see whether regulations were being observed. Now they will begin another inquiry, into the cause of the Bradford fire. Witnesses of the fire have come to terms with the tragedy in different ways. The fact the inquiry also embraced the investigation into another incident which happened on the same day, a riot in which a young boy died at Birmingham City, makes it seem more frivolous. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire I ran to the stand and tried to help people escape. The Bradford way was keep it to ourselves - it worked collectively that we did that. [10] The stand seats did not have risers; this had allowed a large accumulation of rubbish and paper waste in the cavity space under the stand, which had not been cleared for many months. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. 'The smoke was very, very dense. The next day work began on clearing the burnt out shell of the stand, and Justice Popplewell released his findings into the disaster. People pushed him to the ground and tried to smother the flames. Most of the fans who took this escape route were killed or seriously injured. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. A bid of 350 has been made for the original painting and Town will sell 56 prints in memorial of those who lost their lives, with the aim of raising 3,000 for the Bradford Burns Unit. "Until I arrived home my mum and my brother had no idea whether I was alive or dead. Copyright , Fire Brigades Union, 2023. Today, locals continue to raise money for the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit in memory of the victims of the fire. It is a simple account laid out for all to see. ", Popplewell: "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. It was also a catalyst for the substantial redevelopment and modernisation of many British football grounds within the following thirty years. [13], The match kicked off at 3:04pm and after forty minutes of the first half, the score remained 00,[14] in what was described as a drab affair with neither team threatening to score. "[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. "All you could see was black cloud. 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. You may notice some big changes in Black Rock City this year. "I know it's a clich to say that, but it's true.". "I was dragged on to the pitch and into a line of people, who couldn't do much for themselves and were lying there. No one gave it the attention it ought to have received.. .. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. The man we see at 7:50 walking out onto the pitch on fire was a retired mill worker. There has been reports of people lighting paper under the seats, and it was important that as many fans as possible who were in the stand or at the Kop end contacted the police. The chairman of the football club, Mr Stafford Heginbotham, was near to tears as he explained what had happened. [2] By 1911, his work was completed. 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. Other parents whose children had not arrived home on Saturday called at the police station or sat in cars outside, waiting for news. Many were burnt to death at the turnstiles gates, which had also been locked after the match had begun. 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. Former Bradford midfielder John Hendrie, who was playing in the match: "We had already won the league, all the hard work had been done. One elderly man started to walk across the pitch with his clothes and face ablaze. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. "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.". "How quickly the fire spread is difficult to convey to people.". 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. "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.". "If we were fed a lie about it being an accident, then we will be educated. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people. [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. The stand itself was engulfed in seconds, almost as if petrol had been ignited throughout the block. My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. And all you could smell was burning.". One family was in tears, the mother shaking. It was a gruesome sight to see bodies still sitting upright in their seats, covered in tarpaulin. Now a new film claims an Australian was responsible for the worst . A police officer shouted to a colleague for an extinguisher, but his call was misheard and instead the fire brigade were radioed. 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. There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". People were falling on to each other and screaming. 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. Ironically, off-duty firemen were at the ground selling raffle tickets for a charity football match which should have been held yesterday. " Burning Man," " Burning Man Project," " Black Rock City ", and . Below the seats were rows of litter which had piled up throughout the season, said witnesses. 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.. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. [10][16] More than 265 supporters were injured. Treatment of casualties and Burns Research Unit, Dramatisations, documentaries and published works, West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of accidents and disasters by death toll, List of United Kingdom disasters by death toll, "Hideous images linger after carnage of 'celebration' day", "Caught in Time: Bradford City win the Third Division, 1985", "EXCLUSIVE: Bradford's Valley Parade fire must be remembered like Hillsborough", "History of The Bradford Sling The Bradford Sling", "Bradford City football stadium blaze surgeon honoured", "Research centre to be living memorial to Bradford City FC fire disaster", "The Papers of the Popplewell Inquiry into Crowd Safety at Sports Grounds", "Popplewell Inquiry Bradford City Fire", "Bradford remembered: The unheeded warnings that led to tragedy", Joseph Canley summing up statement from test case court transcripts, Newspaper report from Sport and the Law April 21st 1989, "The Glasgow Herald Google News Archive Search", Los Angeles Times report on Bradford City test case findings, Court transcript from the test case brought by Susan Fletcher and Others against Bradford City and Others, "Bradford fire survivor attacks judge over Hillsborough comments", "The Story of the Bradford Fire: 'could any man really be as unlucky as Stafford Heginbotham? [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. "[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 fire still has a big impact on people," Parker says. It made me realise life is too short and I'm a happier person for it.". This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. 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. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. People were wandering around outside the ground in disbelief, reminiscent of an air disaster, at what had happened the day before. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. I looked down and I saw my hands melting. The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. 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. [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. [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. Interviews conducted by BBC Radio Leeds' Tim Daley. [48] Profits from the play's run at The Edinburgh Fringe were donated to the Bradford Burns Unit. The club's success had swollen the crowd to 10,000 and arguments will rage about fire precautions at the ground. 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. They were donated by Bradford's twin city of Hamm, Germany, and are situated in front of Bradford City Hall in both locations. Keep an eye out as you ride your bike through the city you will see a new solar-powered Man, fewer gas and . Otherwise, I would not have been able to get out. 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 Disaster Appeal fund, set up within 48hours of the disaster, eventually raised over 3.5million (11.3million today). 'The fire just spread along the length of the stand in seconds. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. It transpired that the wooden stand had already been condemned and was set to be demolished just two days after the tragedy. [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 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. "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. 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. The heat was so intense it caused car windows to shatter in the street. The wooden roof that burned was scheduled to be replaced by a steel roof later that same . 1.7M subscribers in the CatastrophicFailure community. Police removed the last body from the ground at 4 am yesterday, working under arc lights. "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. [citation needed] Spectators later spoke of initially feeling their feet becoming warmer; one of them ran to the back of the stand for a fire extinguisher but found none. 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 game was irrelevant.". Town began to paint two years ago, first of the old Bradford Park Avenue ground, before moving onto other stadiums. The sling is now used internationally in the treatment of burns. Most Bradfordians have accepted the fire was a terrible misfortune. Videos, gifs, or aftermath photos of machinery, structures, or devices "The referee blew his whistle to stop the game and told us to get back to the dressing room.". [10] The call was timed at 3:43pm. 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. 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'. There is no malicious vendetta, there is no over-exaggeration, there are no trumped-up facts. 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. But a minute or so later there was suddenly a bigger whoosh of smoke so they went to get a steward. "We wouldn't normally have covered that game - no question about it. "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. 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.