Bradford disaster - take a moment to remember

[loz]

Today is the 24th anniversary of the Bradford fire disaster. For those of you who are not aware of this, 56 fans lost their life (54 Bradford fans and two Lincoln fans) when Bradford's Valley Parade stadium caught fire (thought to be caused by a dropped cigarette which set light to litter which had accumulated under the steps).

A terrible tragedy that was created by one innocently discarded cigarette.

[geezer]

I found this event far more tragic than Hillsborough yet I don't ever see it getting mentioned in the media prompting us to remember the people who so tragically lost their lives. Bet no one could even name any of the deceased.

Shocking event which I remember onkly too well because footage of it has been used regularly in a Health & Safety video which is used at my place of work.

[BlueBeard]

I'll always remember that day, and watching the images on the TV - once seen, never forgotten.

I'm adding this link so that people can see for themselves how terrible it was, but please be warned, there are some harrowing scenes.

[Englishman]

I stumbled upon footage of the fire on youtube a while back. Really harrowing stuff. I've always wondered why its anniversary never seems to get any coverage at all.

RIP the 56.

I think tribute should also be paid to the numerous heroic policemen and fans, without whom the death toll that day would likely have been even higher.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Englishman

[dkw]

the footage is horrible, very haunting. it was a terrible disaster and as geezer says its disgraceful how the media have totally ignored it.

R.I.P.

[geezer]

Like I said before I've seen it many times but it still chokes me up watching it. Great call Englishman about the unsung heroes especially as you can see the heat being generated by the fire. They put themselves at great risk to rescue others. Bloody disgrace the media doesn't recognise them.

[SiameseJesus]

Wow, shocking footage!! Why were people cheering though? Couldn't they see people were in trouble!!

[g3.7]

horrible scenes there, very difficult to watch.

may the 56 rest in peace.

[Zola's Love Child]

Wow, shocking footage!! Why were people cheering though? Couldn't they see people were in trouble!!

Sadly it didn't look like it even crossed their minds people were stuck in the stand.

Horrible, horrible footage though, really is sickening. RIP the 56.

[The Moos]

I haven't heard about this before.

It really was a tragedy and what astonish me the most is how fast the fire spread. One minut it was a small fire and after 3-4 minutes the entire stand was on fire. It's amazing that not more died.

Seing it now it really is sad to hear some people sing during the fire and some even show off in front of the camera, but I doubt they had any idea what a tragedy that was happening and to them it was just "cool", atleast until the fire had spread everywhere.

I'm also amazed how the commentator could stay so calm and talk about it all. I bet most would have just leave. He stayed and really told everything there was to tell. Amazing.

Sad tragedy and I hope we never see anything like it again.

[PloKoon13]

R.I.P.

Terrible, terrible scenes.

You can see the police and some of the fans doing a heroic job there, though. Can't congratulate them enough.

[Backbiter]

Wow, shocking footage!! Why were people cheering though? Couldn't they see people were in trouble!!

No - no one really realised how serious it was until it was too late. I think the people at the end of the stand where it started got out in time, but it spread underneath the seats - there were years if not decades of discarded litter that had been drppped under the wooden stand, and it was that that caught fire when someone dropped a cigarette.

There was a live radio commentary coming from the back of that stand - the guy didn't realise how serious it was at first, but he began screaming at people to react. It's really horrific - he survived and the commentary was played on national radio a day or two after.

I've got an old college mate from Bradford who was on the terraces that day - he said noone really had a clue that lives were in danger where he was standing. You don't think so many people will fail to escape a fire that's really in the open air.

It was only a week or two before Heysel. As everyone has said, it was a truly tragic day.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Backbiter

[Gem]

I've never even heard of this disaster until now.

:P Horrible footage, struggled to watch parts of that.

May the 56 who lost their lives rest in peace. I'm only sorry you didn't support History FC, then you may have got a deserved tribute too. The police officers and fans who put their own lives at risks and pulled together like the human race does... it chokes me up. What heroes, why aren't they mentioned either?

Edited May 11, 2009 by Gem

[geezer]

I've never even heard of this disaster until now.

And there lies the proof in the pudding that the media have failed the 56.

[Guest bigjockknew]

I remember it well. I think it is more shocking because it seems surreal and not really happening. It was also so quick but when you see how it happened you realise how easily it happened ad could have happened in a lot of grounds. Also the fans were completely blameless and seem to heve been forgotten by the media and almost everyone else so well done Loz for reminding us.

Some grounds were in a shocking state at the time and unfortunately it took this to realise that wooden stands, piles of rubbish and smoking don't mix.

My local club, Alloa Athletic, had a smaller but otherwise very similar stand which was closed for safety reasons - someone fell through it.

Where would be without the Shed but confining people in areas surrounded by combustible materials is not a good idea.

[BlueBeard]

I can't be sure, but I think the majority of casualties that day were people who were still accessing the stand from the street or were underneath the stand for one reason or another.

Bradford City were already promoted when the game took place, so the fans were obviously celebrating the fact - I'm not making excuses for them, but I genuinely don't believe those fans could have realised the seriousness of the situation and that they were totally unaware of the tragedy that was unfolding. Remember, from the flames first being noticed by the commentator to the stand becoming an inferno took just four minutes.

footnote...

If I remember rightly, not long after this disaster Leeds United were playing at Bradford - and the Leeds fans set fire to a chip stall inside the ground, while others were waving pieces of burning paper at the Bradford fans. Things like that go a long way to explaining why Leeds are so widely despised by fans from all over the country, by people of a certain age who remember just what they were like.

[Lofty]

Truly horrendous. I don't think I can watch any of the videos. But here, for anyone who wants to know more, is a BBC item about what happened that day:

1985: Fans killed in Bradford stadium fire

[TheWestwayWonder]

I had read about this before on wikipedia, but seeing that video (I only made it halfway through because I knew it got graphic) is some really shocking, haunting stuff. Just how a fire can spread that fast is unreal. I know it does very funny things in small, enclosed spaces, but its amazing seeing fans casually coming onto the pitch to, 30 second later, people emerging with severe burns.

May those that died rest in peace.

It is a serious shame this isnt remembered as publicly as other disasters. Its a bit like how everyone knows the Munich Air disaster, and far fewer people remember Il Grande Torino

[paulo]

I was a kid when this happened and remember it well. The fire took hold and spread so quickly, it was actually really good that they had such good access to the pitch and that most of the stand emptied so quickly otherwise many more would have died. RIP to all who lost their lives.

[blueday3]

RIP

[midlandblue]

absolutley tragic, and yes, it is very hard to watch (i did not this time) the brigade use this footage when you attend fire marshall courses to make people aware of just how devastating a fire can be,

a tragic loss, R.I.P.

[Guest tataylor1]

And there lies the proof in the pudding that the media have failed the 56.

i'm not sure how the media can fail them, but perhaps this didn't receive the coverage it deserved nationally. it certainly received a lot locally. this was an awful tragedy and remembrance should be held by anyone who has ever stood in a ground and wondered what if the barrier went, what if that scaffolding fell. etc. since the london buses I often find myself worrying about an explosive at a football stadium. god forbid.

i watched that video for the first time, i'd only read about it before and seen photos, and frankly it's harrowing. my sincere sympathies to those involved. credit to those that raised this remembrance.

[maddoo]

Today is the 24th anniversary of the Bradford fire disaster. For those of you who are not aware of this, 56 fans lost their life (54 Bradford fans and two Lincoln fans) when Bradford's Valley Parade stadium caught fire (thought to be caused by a dropped cigarette which set light to litter which had accumulated under the steps).

A terrible tragedy that was created by one innocently discarded cigarette.

Loz correct me if I am wrong but I dont think this anniversary has ever been mentioned,not only this year,but any year that I can remember.Same with the Ibrox disaster.Must be a scouse thing,all this live memorial services etc,have they a monopoly on suffering.

[Valerie]

With Loz's warning about the harrowing content, and everybody's comments in mind, I didn't watch the video. I do remember tv footage however. Dreadful. Amazing that it doesn't get more attention in the media, apparently all sympathy has run out after Hillsborough.

[BLUENUT]

It was a trely sad day for football supporters, overshadowded by Hillborough in the media.

Peace to all those who lost their lives, and to their friends and families.