I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. "Until I arrived home my mum and my brother had no idea whether I was alive or dead. "As well as those who lost their lives or were injured, there are the relatives and friends, the others who were at the game, and those who would normally have gone to the match but decided not to that day. The Man burns on September 02, 2023. The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were initially alerted. Parents and children were laughing and joking with the police as the preliminaries to the game began. The blaze is believed to have begun when a dropped cigarette lit rubbish under the wooden seats of the wooden Main Stand at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium The fire happened during a football match. He was completely on fire and it looked as though he simply did not know what had happened to him.'. What Is Burning Man? Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. 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.. ", "If the inquiry is opened again, we will await to see what evidence there is to prove is wasn't an accident," he says. Fifty-six people died. All you could hear was sirens and screams. Lincoln City chairman Bob Dorrian, centre, is joined by Former Imps Players Association chairman Trevor Swinburne, left, and chairman of the Red Imps. One elderly man started to walk across the pitch with his clothes and face ablaze. Only one person had been positively identified by police by early last night. They were not able to use water on the stand immediately because this would have hampered attempts to rescue people being dragged by the police and friends from the stand. An inquiry launched in the aftermath of the disaster led to legislation to improve safety at football grounds. Christmas Day is supposed to be happy and pleasant, a time to gather with loved ones for a chill and relaxing celebration. 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. Another player went into the office space to ensure there was nobody there. 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." Police officers also assisted in the rescue attempts. Pendleton: "Many people still don't want to talk about the disaster. [47] Scriptwriters of the play spent hours with the survivors and victims families. Witnesses of the fire have come to terms with the tragedy in different ways. "I looked up and saw the flames. One, now re-situated to that end of the stand where the fire began, is a sculpture donated on the initial re-opening of Valley Parade in December 1986 by Sylvia Graucob, a then Jersey-based former West Yorkshire woman. There is a twin memorial sculpture, unveiled on 11 May 1986, which has the names of the dead inscribed on it. 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. "It is the little things that show how much people are still involved the fire still has a big impact on people. 48,785 Location Lake Jonathan Creek The footage never gets any less shocking. 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. [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. While Valley Parade was re-developed, Bradford City played games at various neighbouring grounds: Elland Road, Leeds; Leeds Road, Huddersfield; and Odsal Stadium, Bradford. However, when Bradford City won promotion to the highest level of English football, Division One, in 1908, club officials sanctioned an upgrade programme. Below the seats were rows of litter which had piled up throughout the season, said witnesses. Most recognizably, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually to build Black Rock City, a participative temporary metropolis . Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden. Burning Man.NYC. 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. Nigel Adams who worked for 12 years as a fire investigator with a British fire service was spurred on by the book to join the call for a fresh inquiry, stating that Fletcher's book was "one of the best accounts of a fire, as seen from a victim's point of view, and as a piece of investigative writing, I have ever read". The fact is that no one person was concerned with the safety of the premises. Fans in the next stand (the "Bradford End") pulled down the fence separating them from the pitch. We were given the trophy before the game in front of the supporters and had to do a lap of honour. 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. [3] It included a main stand which seated 5,300fans, and had room for a further 7,000 standing spectators in the paddock in front. Hendrie: "Us players must have been in the tunnel for seconds - and I mean seconds. One family was in tears, the mother shaking. Bradford council introduced its emergency plans procedure yesterday to give aid to many families affected by the disaster. 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. 'It is the worst day in my life. Interviews conducted by BBC Radio Leeds' Tim Daley. 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. Once we went out it was mayhem, manic, chaotic. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people. [46], In 2014, the theatre company Funny You Should Ask (FYSA) premiered their heartfelt tribute to the 56 people who died at the fire. People smothered him to extinguish the flames, but he later died of his injuries in hospital. 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. 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. Then the flames and smoke were all over the place.'. The other, situated by the main entrance, was donated by the club after its 7.5million (13million today) rebuilding of the original main stand in 2002. Now a new film claims an Australian was responsible for the worst . Bradford fire: the horrors and the silence that had to be broken Daniel Taylor The policewoman assigned to the grieving Fletchers gets goosebumps when she looks back to 30 years ago. The smoke was choking. But a minute or so later there was suddenly a bigger whoosh of smoke so they went to get a steward. 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. I rolled over on my head, jumped up and ran off.". The speed at which fire engulfs the entire stand is insane. Saturday began for the fans in a carnival atmosphere at Bradford 's Valley Parade ground a short walk from the city centre. [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. 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. It is impossible so far to be accurate about the precise cause of the fire, with grossly conflicting reports from witnesses. "It's therapeutic and I've met so many people through doing this." Earlier this year, Town gave up working in construction to pursue painting full-time through his business Stadium Portraits. Stadium disasters have blighted the world of sport throughout modern history. 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. I was there in hospital for eight weeks - it felt like a lifetime. "[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. According to ABC News, though, several hundred people in the Chinese city of Luoyang decided to cut loose on Christmas night 2000 by heading to a nightclub housed on the fourth floor of a multi-use industrial building.A fire broke out in the basement of the structure . There is no evidence in the book, he is just pointing out there are some coincidences. 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. ", 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. It was the brainchild of Bradford City fan Lloyd Spencer with all profits going to the Bradford Royal Infirmary Burns Unit.[43]. It remains to be seen whether a new investigation will take place. The blaze quickly engulfed the stand as Bradford played Lincoln City and claimed the lives of 59 people on May 11, 1985. 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. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. I had no idea. But all the people being treated, we formed a family, a bond.". 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. I have never had to deal with such a situation before, and this has put the city on its heels.'. 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. Eighty names were unaccounted for and there were no positive indications about the cause of the fire. However, as there was no real precedent, most Bradfordians accepted that the fire was a terrible piece of misfortune. We had not been told anything.". The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. However, the fire had consumed the stand entirely by that point and they were faced with huge flames and very dense smoke. [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. Last updated on 10 May 201510 May 2015.From the section Football, "People didn't die because of fires at football grounds. We, and the world, need Burning Man and Black Rock City more than ever. [6] 1908 - Parker Building, New York City, January 10. I've never seen anything like it. Yet in 2015, allegations surfaced which shifted the focus to the club's then chairman, Stafford Heginbotham. "A lot of investigative work had been done by the police when I got there. Football architect Archibald Leitch was commissioned to carry out the work. [] I still have terrible memories of the day, but it is the humanity of those that helped us that I reflect on."[41]. 'They did not have a chance. I had no idea. The blame was through neglect, they didn't have the money to maintain the stand. 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. ", On 26 January 2016, the IPCC declined calls for an investigation and published its full response online. 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. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. At the final home match against Barnsley at the end of April, Bradford City fans collected more than 8,000 in a bucket collection. After the fire, Bradford City also announced they would thereafter play with a black trim on their shirt sleeves as a permanent memorial to those who had died. Come celebrate the beastly realm and our place in it and with it, an even more radically inclusive and sustainable city and global community in 2023: ANIMALIA! BurningMan.NYC will announce the dates and process for the 2023 grant cycle on this site & all BurningMan.NYC social channels in early Spring. 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. [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. Those with longer memories will also think of the Ibrox disaster of . He was asked if precautions would have been adequate had the club been in the Second Division. There were many cases of heroism, with more than 50 people later receiving police awards or commendations for bravery. The 4-alarm fire started in a one-story lumber storage building and spread to an adjacent building . 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. "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. 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. 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. 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. The smoke was choking. We wanted to record the trophy presentation. 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 match was recorded by Yorkshire Television for their regional edition of the ITV Sunday afternoon football show The Big Match. 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. 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. Bradford City stadium fire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire that devastated Valley Parade Thirty years after football's 'forgotten tragedy', the truth of what exactly happened when 56. "[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. 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. The whole fire seemed to erupt in seconds,' he said. He saw smoke coming from a small area of the stand and thought that someone had let off a flare. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. It transpired that the wooden stand had already been condemned and was set to be demolished just two days after the tragedy. 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]. Most of the fans who took this escape route were killed or seriously injured. [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. "Since then I have thought of everything we could have done, but we didn't have the presence of mind to run across the pitch and tell people to get out. "The referee blew his whistle to stop the game and told us to get back to the dressing room.". 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'. Martin Fletcher was talking to BBC Look North. I remember trying to make sense of what was going on. 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. 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. At the time, however, Harrison says, Bradford just wanted to move on. Copyright , Fire Brigades Union, 2023. Many who had walked out of the fire stood on the pitch looking back in horror as the flames destroyed the stand. Instead it turned into a day of appalling tragedy. 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. 24 Bradford City A.F.C. "[28], West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council was found to have failed in its duty under the Fire Precautions Act 1971. Representatives from the fire brigade were due to go to the club tomorrow to inspect it and see whether regulations were being observed. Burning Man is an event focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance held annually in the western United States. [10] One eyewitness, Geoffrey Mitchell, told the BBC: "It spread like a flash. Spreading with almost unbelievable speed, a small fire under a wooden bench consumed the entire stand in under four minutes.Original TV footage: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31qcmtIf you would like to support this channel - https://buymeacoffee.com/TheRavensEyeAlthough focused primarily on disasters, this channel is all about the interesting, the strange, the unsolved, the tragic. It was fairly clear that somebody had dropped a lighted match or cigarette between the floorboards.". [57] Following the 30th anniversary of the fire, a number of news organisations named this man as Eric Bennett who was visiting his nephew in Bradford from Australia and attended the game on the day. In March 1985 the club's plans became more apparent when it took delivery of steel for a new roof.

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