"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. At the final home match against Barnsley at the end of April, Bradford City fans collected more than 8,000 in a bucket collection. 56 dead and hundreds more injured. [10] The call was timed at 3:43pm. The fire claimed young and old alike, with most fatalities occurring at the rear of the stand where people sought escape only to find turnstiles locked. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:41. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. At Valley Parade there are now two memorials. 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. Sign up and stay up to date with our daily newsletter. 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. > Contacts> Join us> Circulars> Training courses> Sign up to Rollcall. "We stayed in the pub for hours. The man we see at 7:50 walking out onto the pitch on fire was a retired mill worker. He saw smoke coming from a small area of the stand and thought that someone had let off a flare. Recommended The untold stories of the 1985 fire The Bradford way was keep it to ourselves - it worked collectively that we did that. What Is Burning Man? 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 intensity of the blaze which spread 'quicker than people could walk' destroyed the main stand area, leaving a skeleton of burned seats, lamps and fences. 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. 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. BurningMan.NYC will announce the dates and process for the 2023 grant cycle on this site & all BurningMan.NYC social channels in early Spring. [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. Owing to windy conditions, less than four minutes later the entire wooden stand was engulfed in smoke and fire. " Burning Man," " Burning Man Project," " Black Rock City ", and . 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. "That was the moment that I realised not everybody was going to get out. Within five minutes the whole stand was engulfed in flames. "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. [22], Immediately after the fire, Sharpe planned and treated the injuries of over 200 individuals, with many experimental treatments being used. 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. Fletcher has been the only survivor to publicly challenge the inquiry's findings. Part of the Appeal funds were raised by a recording of "You'll Never Walk Alone"[42] from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Carousel by The Crowd (including Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, who had recorded the 1963 version that led to Liverpool adopting it as their motto and team song), which reached number one in the UK Singles chart. Those are the words of David Pendleton, a survivor of the Bradford City fire disaster, which happened 30 years ago. 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.. As many supporters still required rescue from the stand, they were unable to immediately start fighting the source of the fire. 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 . "We went out on to the pitch and I could see so many happy faces. At the time, however, Harrison says, Bradford just wanted to move on. The fire at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium in which 56 people died and more than 270 were injured is remembered 25 years on. After 40 minutes of the first half, fans had begun to complain about the drab match and the 0-0 score. 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. [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. He had to undergo counselling and was unable to go to another game for several years. The only fire extinguishers in the ground were in the clubroom, which is also in the main stand. "The referee blew his whistle to stop the game and told us to get back to the dressing room.". Last updated on 10 May 201510 May 2015.From the section Football, "People didn't die because of fires at football grounds. Coach Terry Yorath described the events as "the worst day in my life. There is no evidence in the book, he is just pointing out there are some coincidences. It occurred during a league match in front of record numbers of spectators, on Saturday, 11 May 1985, killing 56 and injuring at least 265. As he scaled the brick perimeter wall at the front, his father stayed behind to help others escape. "The scene became progressively horrendous, grotesque, and I was having to describe things you couldn't possibly imagine.". Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. It's terrifying how quickly fire spreads in the wrong circumstances. About 3,000 people were in Valley Parade's main stand, escaping by climbing over walls on to the pitch or through the usual exit gates. I asked the director to get the camera to go a little closer. Eighty names were unaccounted for and there were no positive indications about the cause of the fire. "It is unbelievable how quickly the fire took hold. This day was for them. "Us players must have been in the tunnel for seconds - and I mean seconds. Bradford, playing into a strong wind, were struggling to break down a Lincoln side already safe from relegation. 56 people dead. People were falling on to each other and screaming. Then the flames and smoke were all over the place.'. A new book, written by Valley Parade survivor Martin Fletcher, claims then-Bradford City chairman Stafford Heginbotham had previously netted millions of pounds from insurance payouts after at least eight previous fires at businesses he was associated with. Within 48 hours of the disaster, the Bradford Disaster Appeal Fund had been set up and would eventually raise over 3.5m ($5.4m). The stand had already been condemned, and the demolition teams were due to start work two days later. Cigarette smoking was also banned at all grounds with wooden stands. The team's coach, Mr Terry Yorath, ran on to the pitch to try to help people away from the stand. [53], In 1986, a year after the disaster, Yorkshire Television aired a documentary presented by John Helm entitled Bradford City A Year of Healing. 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". One woman was seen running around the ground with no skin on her arms and face. It seemed to put it out. 1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire. His face was burned and his car, which he had parked outside the ground, was destroyed. [47] Scriptwriters of the play spent hours with the survivors and victims families. [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. "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 stand slopes downwards from the South Parade. The stand had been officially condemned and was due to be replaced with a steel structure after the season ended. ", Hendrie: "We stayed in the pub for hours. [46], In 2014, the theatre company Funny You Should Ask (FYSA) premiered their heartfelt tribute to the 56 people who died at the fire. Bradford City were supposed to be celebrating on 11 May 1985. The scene in there was one of silence and shock. We had not been told anything.". He was helped out of the stand by other fans and spent a period of time in hospital. "[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]. The game was goalless after 40 minutes when play was stopped. Club coach Terry Yorath incurred minor injuries while taking part in the rescue. More than 250 others were injured in one of the. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "The fire still has a big impact on people," Parker says. 'This was a dreadful afternoon. Helm later described the start of the fire in an interview to the Express newspaper: .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, [A] man over from Australia visiting his son got two tickets to the game. The team was presented with the Division Three championship trophy - their first trophy in 56 years - in front of 11,000 jubilant fans before the start of their match against Lincoln City. And then suddenly, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. "I want the truth to be out, the myths to be broken, so that I can get on with my life rather than knowing this information and having to live with this information. They stood outside the headquarters, staring at nothing in particular. But I've never spoken to anyone who thought the fire wasn't anything other than a tragic accident. Most of those who escaped onto the pitch were saved.[10]. Supporters either ran upwards to the back of the stand or downwards to the pitch to escape. He asks the reader to make their mind up about whether these fires were a coincidence or not.". 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. 527 votes, 98 comments. Among the main outcomes of the inquiry were the banning of new wooden grandstands at all UK sports grounds, the immediate closure of other wooden stands deemed unsafe and the banning of smoking in other wooden stands. Many were burnt to death at the turnstiles gates, which had also been locked after the match had begun. 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. 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. It is impossible so far to be accurate about the precise cause of the fire, with grossly conflicting reports from witnesses. Spread by the wind, the wooden roof, which was covered with tarpaulin and sealed with asphalt and bitumen, caught fire. 1908 - Rhoads Opera House fire, Boyertown, Pennsylvania, killed 170. Two or three burly men put their weight against it and smashed the gate open. "I was dragged on to the pitch and into a line of people, who couldn't do much for themselves and were lying there. The Bradford City stadium fire was the worst fire disaster in the history of football.. Guided by the values expressed by the 10 Principles, Burning Man is a global ecosystem of artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events, and local initiatives around the world. All existing grandstands deemed fire risks were faced with immediate closure. "The one thing I remember at the time is we were grateful that we got an answer quickly after the inquiry. Funnily enough I was thinking 'I'm going to miss the second half at this rate'. You may notice some big changes in Black Rock City this year. "How quickly the fire spread is difficult to convey to people.". We were given the trophy before the game in front of the supporters and had to do a lap of honour. "We couldn't run back down the tunnel. It was unprecedented.". The 1984-85 season had been one of the most successful in Bradford City's 82-year history. It transpired that the wooden stand had already been condemned and was set to be demolished just two days after the tragedy. "[11] Police Superintendent Barry Osborne, divisional commander for the area, said many of his officers cried when they saw how badly people had been burned. The entrances to the stand were all at the rear and were higher than the rest of the ground. Witnesses of the fire have come to terms with the tragedy in different ways. [52], On 1 May 2010, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the fire the football TV show Football Focus was hosted from Valley Parade by Dan Walker, the show included interviews with Terry Yorath and John Hendrie. We couldn't breathe. Our world has a varied history full of terrible tragedies, bizarre tales, unexplained events, and extravagant people. Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of British football. We had to run up the stairs, through the office doors and out on to the street. You could hardly breathe. "I got stuck against the wall with the weight of people behind me trying to get over. 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. Lincoln City suffered two successive relegations, first to the Fourth Division in 1986, and again in 1987, becoming the first team to be automatically relegated from the Football League itself. The blaze quickly engulfed the stand as Bradford played Lincoln City and claimed the lives of 59 people on May 11, 1985. [5] However, he also warned the club of a build-up of litter beneath the stand because of a gap between the seats. Of the 56people who died in the fire,[2] 54 were Bradford supporters and two supported Lincoln. Many who had walked out of the fire stood on the pitch looking back in horror as the flames destroyed the stand. Together, flanked by undocumented supporters, they managed to clear all but one person who made it to the front of the stand. He lit a cigarette and when it was coming to an end he put it down on to the floorboard and tried to put his foot on it to put it out. Yet many of those with terrible memories of the tragedy also take heart in the compassion born out of the devastation. 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. However, the fire had consumed the stand entirely by that point and they were faced with huge flames and very dense smoke. We, and the world, need Burning Man and Black Rock City more than ever. Soon they were all running for their lives. "That's when I thought 'this is time to get out of here'. 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. 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. Someone came in and shouted: 'Get out, get out there's a fire'. He is quoted as saying: "I don't believe the statement of retired Detective Inspector Raymond Falconer at all. He agreed that the inquiry into Bradford, led by the judge Oliver Popplewell, was inadequate and that there are many unanswered questions. An ancient wooden spectator stand and a dropped cigarette - the ingredients for one of Britain's deadliest soccer tragedies. 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. There was some kind of disturbance near the edge of a block of seats in the G section of the main stand. It was clear from what the Chief Fire Officer for West Yorkshire, Mr Graham Karran, said yesterday that the ground was far from safe. I had no idea. It was sort of the good thing to come out of the nightmare," says Simon Parker, a football reporter for the Telegraph and Argus. 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. One family was in tears, the mother shaking.

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