The book and film will be released in March next year with an event at the National Media Museum, followed by a photographic exhibition at the same venue from May. 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. Death Notice. Only now, in 56: The Story of the Bradford Fire (Bloomsbury, 16.99) has he completed a 15-year quest to challenge history's interpretation of why the fire broke out. "Yes you've already told us you were concerned," the inquiry's QC effectively says, before he moves the conversation along. You could hardly breathe. The names of the 56 victims of the Valley Parade Fire Disaster - 11 May 1985 . [12] The work was expected to cost 400,000 (1.3million today). Applying this 18.457% change to the original purchase price of 48,000 results in an estimated price of approximately 56,859. Arsenal fanzine lives to fight another season, Donation to Islington Boxing Club proves to be a real knockout. Steel was to be installed in the roof,[8] and the wooden terracing was to be replaced with concrete. Sylvia Lund Pollard (69) Police worked until 4am the next morning, under lighting, to remove all the bodies. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. I dont praise the Folk of Yorkshire cheaply, but their Dignity, Self Respect, and Stoicism is a great credit to them. People who had escaped the fire then tried to assist their fellow supporters. [8][10] Three men smashed down one door and at least one exit was opened by people outside, which again helped prevent further deaths. by ClaretMoffitt Fri May 11, 2018 9:08 am, Post [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. It occurred during a league match, on Saturday, 11 May 1985, killing 56 and injuring at least 265. He survived but clearly his life was also shattered on that day. 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 scene in there was one of silence and shock. (2015), 2003 Football League Third Division play-off final, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bradford_City_stadium_fire&oldid=1141323458, Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes, Pages containing London Gazette template with parameter supp set to y, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Articles needing additional references from May 2018, All articles needing additional references, Articles needing additional references from December 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Fan attempted to extinguish a lit cigarette, it slipped through floorboards and fell on rubbish, igniting it. 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. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. -- A brush fire burning Monday morning on the peat wetlands of Bradford Island in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta has charred 212 acres and prompted some . The Valley Parade fire took hold, it has always been said, because a match must have been dropped into the reservoir of rubbish in the dark cavity beneath the main stand's seats. Valley Parade re-opened on 14 December 1986, when Bradford City beat an England XI 21 in a friendly. Fans flee to the pitch to avoid the flames in the wooden main stand, Mr Justice Popplewell, who led the inquiry into the fire, at the 'Turnstile Shrine' in the stadium (Rex), Martin Fletcher, author of '56: The Story of the Bradford Fire', A relative of one of the victims breaks down amid the ruins of the stadium (Rex), Thirty years after football's 'forgotten tragedy', the truth of what exactly happened when 56 people died in a fire at Bradford City's Valley Parade stadium remains elusive, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Claims the disaster was started deliberately 'nonsense', Archives reveal the desperate rush to conjure an explanation, New evidence casts more doubt on verdictfirewas accident, BradfordCitystadiumfire: The untold stories of the 1985 fire, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off selected items using this eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. First-Team Therapist: Nick Akerman. He became famous for his height and build, in a similar manner to that of Peter Crouch. The 1985 inquiry into the tragedy headed by Sir Oliver Popplewell concluded that it was an accident, probably started by a spectator dropping a cigarette into rubbish that had accumulated under an old timber stand. He had to undergo counselling and was unable to go to another game for several years. Please note: census information may include figures for adjacent streets and postcodes. "[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. Harold Mitchell (79) 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. "The rumours of the fire came slowly and took hold slowly but when things became clear, I threw down my bags and ran. The 1984/85 season had been one of the most successful in Bradford City's 82-year history. The files show how the possibility of arson was not even touched upon or tested. 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. 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). Together, flanked by undocumented supporters, they managed to clear all but one person who made it to the front of the stand. The deaths were preventable . "We were concerned there might be, because of the rapidity of the fire, a mechanism unknown to us." But it was too late for the 56 fans that went to a football match and never returned who are still remembered, not just by those in Bradford and Lincoln, but by football fans throughout the country. Instead, there is nothing. Andrew Fletcher (11) Share. Ormondroyd praises 'phenomenal' Bradford Video Unavailable Technical details : A problem was encountered - please try again later Former Bradford and Aston Villa striker Ian Ormondroyd is. [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. 15 Dec 2020. Spare a thought or prayer for them today. When cross examined by QC Robert Smith, then Chairman Stafford Heginbotham said he knew about the fire risk at the ground. 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. The aim is to preserve these memories for posterity as part of the club's museum at Valley Parade, together with a DVD, podcasts and more. James has 2 jobs listed on their profile. He was helped out of the stand by other fans and spent a period of time in hospital. contact the editor here. Peter Anthony Halliday (34) Forest Green new stadium going to be made out of wood. And, before we knew it, the flames were racing down the whole stand. 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. Obviously helps cigarettes banned from football grounds now as IIRC a discarded butt caused the Bradford fire. "[16] As spectators began to cascade over the wall separating the stand from the pitch, the linesman on that side of the pitch informed referee Norman Glover, who stopped the game with three minutes remaining before half-time. [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. Still one of the two or three most haunting videos I've ever seen. I was doing some research about football stadium disasters a few years ago as I find them fascinating and horrendous at the same time. The match itself, however, had to be interrupted before half time as a fire quickly broke out, with memories of title celebrations now replaced with this horrible tragedy. Community Foundation was set up in 1988 by the PFA. 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. David James Crabtree (30) However, the fire had consumed the stand entirely by that point and they were faced with huge flames and very dense smoke. Comments have been closed on this article. [10][16] More than 265 supporters were injured. A half dozen walked out. Death occurring in such numbers, in such a capricious fashion, and in the ordinary setting of a football stadium, is truly horrifying. The fire of 1985 will also certainly figure highly in Bantamspast, says Ian: "A chap rang me up about a week ago and he used to live on Cornwall Terrace, just at the back of the ground. [39], The club's chairman, Stafford Heginbotham, said: "It was to be our day". Woolley's notes again: "Many referred to the smell of burning plastics." 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. 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. 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 . A truly horrific day which should never be forgotten. 05/12/15 AT 9:58 AM BST. Bradford played its part in that. Superbly handcrafted and hand-painted for incredible detailing, this masterpiece features fully sculpted figures of a firefighter, police officer, and EMT gleaming with a hand-applied metallic bronze finish. This user liked this post: claretjohn33505. It was a massive tragedy for everybody at the club.". Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, Ormondroyd played for Bradford City, Oldham Athletic, Aston Villa, Derby County, Leicester City, Hull City and Scunthorpe United. This is the kind of understated remembrance we have seen in Bradford these past few months, at the onset of another significant anniversary of the 1985 fire which tore across the local football club's old wooden main stand, reducing it to a collapsing inferno in a mere four minutes and claiming 56 lives. It was 30 years ago. 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." He returned to Bradford City as football in the community officer, and also works as a commentator and match day summariser for Bradford City games with Pulse Radio. Topic: 25 years ago today, the Bradford City disaster. The main fire safety system failed disastrously in a blaze at a Bronx apartment building in January, killing 17 people, The New York Times has found. Burnley were down south that day probably in the Midlands.we stopped off for beer in Rochdale and saw the horror on the telly box. Bradford Township Volunteer Fire Department is raffling off a brand new truck to raise money to buy two brand new fire trucks. The drawing date is Jan. 1, 2023. The JCT600 Stand will be open as well during the day to give fans the opportunity for some quiet reflection on this day of remembrance. We had not been told anything. 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. [17], One witness saw paper or debris on fire, about nine inches (230mm) below the floor boards. Performance Analyst: Scott Dyer. It wasnt until later on when assistant manager Terry Yorath came in and said: Its not good.'. The 1984/85 season had been one of the most successful in Bradford Citys 82-year history. by Pad1951 Fri May 11, 2018 9:15 am, Post -- Eleven people were injured, including four in critical condition, when a fire broke out at an apartment building in Bradford West Gwillimbury Monday afternoon. However, there is a lot in this book that troubles me about the science, or lack of it, used in the testing of the investigators' hypothesis as to the source of the ignition. It's thirty three years since those horrific scenes at valley parade.young Lads dads and grandads young girls and women perished.56.and over 250 injured lets remember and not forget them. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. It's gone," he says. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners of the footballing world as today marks 31 years since the Bradford City fire disaster. I don't see that. 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. [11], The fire escalated very rapidly, and flames became visible; police started to evacuate the stand. Its always so disturbing to see things like this that could have been so easily avoided with a little care. A minute later he saw a small plume of smoke so he poured his coffee on it and so did his son. As he received the injured at Bradford Royal Infirmary he was able to call upon 10% of the UK's population of plastic surgeons. Herbert Bamford (72) This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's by IanMcL Fri May 11, 2018 9:01 am, Post 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. [48] Profits from the play's run at The Edinburgh Fringe were donated to the Bradford Burns Unit. 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. Jane Ashley Stockman (16) Then, in the space of 120-odd seconds, it really kicked in. "We're trying to find out why a lot of the Asian communities don't come to the ground, whether they feel they can't come to the games because they feel intimidated or whatever.". "But I'd never heard of the Bradford disaster until I auditioned for this," she says. The fire destroyed the main stand completely and left only burned seats, lamps and metal fences remaining. Police have revealed the identity of the man who they believe was responsible for . But Ms Ibrahim saw her husband on her TV set, on the Valley Parade half way line, helping stretcher some of the injured away to safety. As Bantams Community Manager, Ian hopes it will reveal what people living around the ground really think. 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. She said: Over the years, the story of the Bradford City fire has been told many times - the story of the supporters and the players, but one story that had never been told was the story of how the local people had helped. A former Bradford City player is asking for people's memories of the club's past - both good and bad. Editors' Code of Practice. JONES Elizabeth (Betty) On 6th February 2023 Betty passed away peacefully at Vida Hall Nursing. by groove Fri May 11, 2018 10:48 pm, Post 56 fans died as a fire broke out at the game at Valley Parade, 54 Bradford supporters and two from opponents Lincoln City. Head of Sports Science: Greg Stebbings. For the 30th anniversary of the fire a new version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was recorded at Voltage Studios in Bradford. Ian Ormondroyd, Bradford City Community Foundation manager and former Bantams striker, echoed the call for residents to come forward and contribute to the project. [10][16] Geoffrey Mitchell said: "There was panic as fans stampeded to an exit which was padlocked. The father whose burgeoning success as a metals stockholder, driving a BMW 323i, took him a long way from his roots, selling coach trips to Mablethorpe. Never to be forgotten ACKROYD, John Douglas 32 Baildon ANDERTON, Edmund 68 Bingley BAINES, Alexander Shaw 70 Bradford BAMFORD, Herbert 72 Bradford The city has seemed to want it to remain the forgotten disaster, though for many, the sense of what-might-have-been is too acute to want to block out the past. The community, principally Bangladeshi, had no links then to the football club and many could not speak English, but they still helped. "It seemed that this should at least have been examined," Fletcher says. We talk in the anonymous surroundings of his publisher's, in Bloomsbury's Bedford Square. Frederick Norman Middleton (84) Whether they don't feel welcome, for instance. Rush Gaming Limited, Level 3, 203, BMW Building, Rue DArgens, Gzira GZR 1368, Malta. The list of victims reveals the impact the disaster had on families as fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, husbands and wives went to a football game that day never to come home again. 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. Some repair work was carried out, but in July 1984 the club was warned again, this time by a county council engineer, because of the club's plans to claim for ground improvements from the Football Trust. Thank you for telling this," said the woman, who was perhaps 60 or so, to one of the young people whose stage play, based on football's Bradford disaster, had just concluded on the small theatre space behind her. 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