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. [6] 1908 - Parker Building, New York City, January 10. I saw one man lying on the ground, burning from head to foot. 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. He is quoted as saying: "I don't believe the statement of retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer at all. "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 26 January 2016, the IPCC declined calls for an investigation and published its full response online. People were wandering around outside the ground in disbelief, reminiscent of an air disaster, at what had happened the day before. They were immediately promoted back to the Football League in 1988, and survived for 23 years before being relegated again in 2011. Many who had walked out of the fire stood on the pitch looking back in horror as the flames destroyed the stand. Valley Parade re-opened on 14 December 1986, when Bradford City beat an England XI 21 in a friendly. Read about our approach to external linking. The heat was so intense it caused car windows to shatter in the street. "It is unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold. What Is Burning Man? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Wildman: "I was burnt from top to bottom, on and off. Listen to Valley Parade: Bradford City Fire Remembered on BBC Radio Leeds (18:00 BST) and BBC Radio 5 live (21:00 BST). He was helped out of the stand by other fans and spent a period of time in hospital. 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. Then the flames and smoke were all over the place.'. "That's when I thought 'this is time to get out of here'. [10][11], Bradford's Telegraph & Argus newspaper published a souvenir issue for 11 May, entitled, "Spit and Polish for the Parade Ground". 527 votes, 98 comments. The man we see at 7:50 walking out onto the pitch on fire was a retired mill worker. 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. Fifty-six people died. My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. One woman was seen running around the ground with no skin on her arms and face. [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. "Could any man really be as unlucky as Heginbotham had been?" 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. [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. On Saturday 11 May 2002, the 17th anniversary of the disaster, a memorial with the names of those who lost their lives was dedicated at the new entrance to the redeveloped Sunwin stand. Stories From 11 May. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. Those with longer memories will also think of the Ibrox disaster of . The match was recorded by Yorkshire Television for their regional edition of the ITV Sunday afternoon football show The Big Match. [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. Exactly 79 years to the day after the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, another tragic fire occurred in New York City. Since 1903, when the club was formed, Bradford City Association Football Club had played their home games at the ground. I'd seen the film on the Saturday but the bleakness of the stadium burnt out, and the gloom that afflicted everybody, was dreadful. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. Previous warnings had also been given about a major build-up of litter in the cavity below the seats in the stand. But all the people being treated, we formed a family, a bond.". 05/10/15 AT 12:00 PM BST Crowds on the pitch at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium after the stand caught fire Getty Images Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands. The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were initially alerted. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. 24 Bradford City A.F.C. "The fire still has a big impact on people," Parker says. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. 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. "For the first minute people were laughing and joking, it wasn't anything serious. 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. 'They did not have a chance. I rolled over on my head, jumped up and ran off.". A Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund raised 3.5m for the victims and their families. "[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. A discarded cigarette and a dilapidated wooden stand, which had survived because the club did not have the money to replace it, and accumulated paper litter, were considered to have conspired to cause the worst disaster in the history of the Football League. For the 30th anniversary of the fire a new version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was recorded at Voltage Studios in Bradford. [14] It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to be engulfed in flames.[11]. 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. It was a gruesome sight to see bodies still sitting upright in their seats, covered in tarpaulin. Disaster struck at 3.43 pm. Once we went out it was mayhem, manic, chaotic. Police worked until 4am the next morning, under lighting, to remove all the bodies. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. It was nearly double the season's average of 6,610 and included 3,000fans in the ground's main stand. And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. 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. Many were burnt to death at the turnstiles gates, which had also been locked after the match had begun. 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. And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. Although I was only 12 at the time, 11 May 1985 is a day. All you could hear was sirens and screams. Bradford City players line up to observe a minutes silence for the 25th anniversary of the 1985 Bradford stadium fire prior to the Coca Cola League. Another player went into the office space to ensure there was nobody there. The stadium was known for its antiquated design and facilities, which included the wooden roof of the main stand. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. [48] Profits from the play's run at The Edinburgh Fringe were donated to the Bradford Burns Unit. 1908 - Collinwood school fire, in Collinwood, Ohio (soon absorbed by Cleveland ), on March 4, killed 175. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. He had to undergo counselling and was unable to go to another game for several years. The fire brigade said that when heat builds up so quickly it can cause flames to move much quicker than people can walk. "[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]. "[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. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. All that was left of. The fire happened during a football match. 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. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. 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. [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. Cigarette smoking was also banned at all grounds with wooden stands. Mr Antony Burrows said: 'One man was stood near me with his hair on fire. "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. "I was operated on every other day because I had so many burns and so many areas to work on. Other parents whose children had not arrived home on Saturday called at the police station or sat in cars outside, waiting for news. 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. It slipped through a hole in the floorboard. It was the brainchild of Bradford City fan Lloyd Spencer with all profits going to the Bradford Royal Infirmary Burns Unit.[43]. The fire started five minutes before half-time during the match on 11 May between Bradford and Lincoln City. 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. "A disaster is not black and white - it is a mass of factors.". Original television coverage of the fire, as caught by cameras covering the match. 56 people dead. Pendleton: "One of my most haunting images was being on the bus home after dark and going past Valley Parade. Website by, Bradford City FC stadium fire | 11th May 1985, Fundraising for firefighters and their families. The team's coach, Mr Terry Yorath, ran on to the pitch to try to help people away from the stand. ", Hendrie: "We stayed in the pub for hours. ", There has always been a close bond between the club and its supporters since the fire, he adds. 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. [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. It seemed to put it out. 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. While Valley Parade was re-developed, Bradford City played games at various neighbouring grounds: Elland Road, Leeds; Leeds Road, Huddersfield; and Odsal Stadium, Bradford. 'This was a dreadful afternoon. We sat in the main stand the week before, but we had decided to move on that day," he says. Just look at how many people were standing around just 50-60 meters away from the blazing inferno. People pushed him to the ground and tried to smother the flames. 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. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. By the time the fire brigade arrived they were faced with huge flames and dense smoke. But many, including Harrison, believe it could unnecessarily reopen wounds if it does happen. 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. The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. "All I could see was eerie white lights that the fire brigade had set up and the smoke still in the sky. 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." I don't see that. The stand had been officially condemned and was due to be replaced with a steel structure after the season ended. 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. 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, killed 170. 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 wouldn't normally have covered that game - no question about it. "All you could see was black cloud. [40] Matthew Wildman was 17 at the time and needed crutches to walk because of rheumatoid arthritis. His son Christopher normally watches from the stand but on Saturday he joined other fans elsewhere. [5] However, he also warned the club of a build-up of litter beneath the stand because of a gap between the seats. One man in tears said: 'He looked as if he was just going for a stroll. "[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. Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. Most recognizably, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually to build Black Rock City, a participative temporary metropolis . 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'. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire It transpired that the wooden stand had already been condemned and was set to be demolished just two days after the tragedy. My hands suffered the most because they were exposed the most. "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. 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. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. "[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. "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.". 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. All existing grandstands deemed fire risks were faced with immediate closure. 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. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. I don't know where Falconer is getting this cock-and-bull story from the inaccuracies in this report [documentary] are dumbfounding. Pendleton: "I walked past a public telephone outside the ground and there were queues of people waiting to ring home to say: 'I'm OK'. Only then do you realise the huge network of people the fire involved. 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). 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. 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. But I've never spoken to anyone who thought the fire wasn't anything other than a tragic accident. The scene in there was one of silence and shock. ", 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. "I'm sorry to spoil what is obviously a very good story, but I'm afraid it is nonsense for many reasons.". Videos, gifs, or aftermath photos of machinery, structures, or devices The Bradford Burns Unit was set up by Professor David Sharpe after he received many of the victims following the fire. His most recent painting is a powerful image; two fans in Bradford and Lincoln City kits, surrounded by 54 other figures. Smoke was seen coming from the third row in the section but people are apparently used to seeing smoke flares on the Bradford ground. Spread by the wind, the wooden roof, which was covered with tarpaulin and sealed with asphalt and bitumen, caught fire. Fifty-six people were killed, 265 were injured and thousands bore witness to the worst fire disaster in the history of English football. 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? Christopher Hammond, who was 12 on the day, said on the 20th anniversary of the fire: "As a 12-year-old, it was easy to move on I didn't realise how serious it was until I looked at the press coverage over the next few days. A giant Christian cross, made up of two large charred wooden members[44] that had once been part of the stand, was constructed in front of the middle of the stand and behind the pitchside speaker's platform. Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. The game was goalless after 40 minutes when play was stopped. 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. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. Radiated heat from the burning roof of the stand set fire to the clothing of fans trapped underneath. [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. 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 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. "We stayed in the pub for hours. 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. 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. Warning: Some readers may find parts of this content distressing. 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. Bradford fan Matthew Wildman, who was aged 17 and using crutches because of rheumatoid arthritis: "When I got to one of the final walls, there was an eight-foot drop at the other side, concrete at the bottom. 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]. 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. 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire. Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. There was a bit of paper on fire, but it was so small.". [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. Of the 56 people who died in the fire,[2] 54 were Bradford supporters and two supported Lincoln. People smothered him to extinguish the flames, but he later died of his injuries in hospital. People were falling on to each other and screaming. 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." 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. [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. "Until I arrived home my mum and my brother had no idea whether I was alive or dead. [45] PCs Peter Donald Barrett and David Charles Midgley, along with spectators Michael William Bland and Timothy Peter Leigh received the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. "I parked my van outside because I started making enough money painting as I was in construction. Wealso use analytics cookies that don't track usersto help us improve it. She was an. Footage of the accident at this point shows levels of confusion among the spectatorswhile many were trying to escape or to cross the pitch to the relative safety of the neighbouring stands, other spectators were observed cheering or waving to the still-rolling pitchside cameras. [1] When the association football club was formed, the ground was changed very little and had no covered accommodation. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. [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. 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 "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. Valley Parade during the early 1990s, after it had been redeveloped following the fire. The stand itself was engulfed in seconds, almost as if petrol had been ignited throughout the block. Some of those who died were still sitting upright in their seats, covered by remnants of tarpaulin that had fallen from the roof. We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We, and the world, need Burning Man and Black Rock City more than ever. He later died in hospital. When the game began there was no way out for them, except by going on to the pitch. [46], In 2014, the theatre company Funny You Should Ask (FYSA) premiered their heartfelt tribute to the 56 people who died at the fire. The heat inside the stand literally ignited people where they stood. Most Bradfordians have accepted the fire was a terrible misfortune. "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. The Documentary highlighted the 'poison pen letters' and graffiti targeted at the then club chairman Stafford Heginbotham over accusations that he was in some way personally responsible for the deaths of the 56 people who died at the fire.[54]. There is no malicious vendetta, there is no over-exaggeration, there are no trumped-up facts. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. [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. The stand had already been condemned, and the demolition teams were due to start work two days later. "I looked up and saw the flames. It remains to be seen whether a new investigation will take place. And the black and twisted skeleton of the burnt stand stood out in the night. Police had an official photographer at the game, watching for crowd disturbance. "The referee blew his whistle to stop the game and told us to get back to the dressing room.". Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. The smoke was choking. "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.
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