My mate Darren was there, he was about 10, his Dad dragged him out of the stand. Everytime we had a fire safety talk in work, they showed the video...In the end he had to ask HR if he could be excused from any fire safety talks.

Horrific.

RIP

Watching the video it looked like people were mostly out of the stand before the fire spread to them, how did so many die? Was it the smoke?

 

Never mind, i just looked it up on Wikipedia.

Edited May 12, 201412 yr by Zeta Orionis

What makes it worse is the stand had brrm condemned and was due for demolition, I suppose when were all complaining about health and safety etc it's things like this that bring home how important it actually is.

I was disappointed that there was virtually nothing in the media regarding the event. The only fans that I know that did anything were Derby, who started applauding at the given time. Well done to them.

Can remember watching this on the news that night. What looked like a little bit of smoke turned into an huge inferno so quickly. Horrible.

I fully expected there to be something at Anfield, but sadly no.

Edited May 12, 201412 yr by Mr Pink

This disaster could easily have happened to any of us attending matches before the 90s. The after effects of this fire was to close down many old timber framed stands. At my home town club all the back of the main standing stand was closed as it was timber and underneath over the years lots of paper rubbish had accumulated. Football had to move on from the dark ages,fans had for too long been treated like sh*t both by the authorities,governing body and the clubs who failed to plough money into the decrepit stadia. Such a tragedy that it took Heysel,Bradford and Hillsborough to bring some sense into the proceedings. RIP to all.

This was before my time but goes without saying a real tragedy.

 

The Bradford stadium fire doesn't get much publicity considering

 

At the end of the day an honest football supporter deserves to return home safely. No human deserved to lose their life that day regardless of allegiances

 

 

RIP to those who lost their lives and my thoughts are with them and their families 

Edited May 13, 201412 yr by londonblue

Horrific events that day.

 

RIP

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/15/bradford-fire-stafford-heginbotham-martin-fletcher?CMP=share_btn_tw

 

The Guardian is serialising a book by Martin Fletcher, a Bradford City fan bereaved by the fire. The book, entitled 'Fifty-Six – The Story of the Bradford Fire', argues that then Bradford City chairman Stafford Heginbotham has been connected to eight other fires at business premises he either owned or was connected to, which resulted in huge insurance payouts.

 

The article makes for some quite haunting reading, especially considering the horror and tragedy of the fire. To even consider the possibility that someone might do something so horrendous out of greed or desperation is utterly chilling. Has anyone heard any more about this?

I read that report in the Guardian and didn't buy it at all. If Heginbotham wanted to burn Valley Parade down for the insurance money, then why on Earth would he do it in the middle of a match with many thousands of people in the stands and TV cameras filming it all. At best I suspect that Fletcher is simply trying to apportion blame for what happened; I understand that people who experience such tragic losses can often have a hard time accepting that sometimes you just get really unlucky. The cynic in me wonders if maybe he's trying to sell more copies of his book. Maybe it's a bit of both.

 

It seems quite clear that Heginbotham/Bradford City were at fault through negligence, but when he suggests it was started deliberately without offering any real evidence to back up his claims it makes it hard for me to take him seriously. 

Edited April 16, 201511 yr by bluedave

I hope the new allegations are not true as it would be very sad to think of someone behaving so recklessly, for money.

RIP.

Edited April 16, 201511 yr by Spudulike

I read that report in the Guardian and didn't buy it at all. If Heginbotham wanted to burn Valley Parade down for the insurance money, then why on Earth would he do it in the middle of a match with many thousands of people in the stands and TV cameras filming it all.

 

The cynic in me wonders if maybe he's trying to sell more copies of his book. Maybe it's a bit of both.

 

It seems quite clear that Heginbotham/Bradford City were at fault through negligence, but when he suggests it was started deliberately without offering any real evidence to back up his claims it makes it hard for me to take him seriously. 

Because in a crowd of thousands arson would not be suspected as much as if it had happened when the ground was deserted.

 

I think you may well be right about his desire to sell more copies of his book, but his main point is to highlight the fact that the arson theory was not properly investigated at the time. How they could do that now after 30 years I really don't know.

Thoughts go out to the people of Bradford today on the 30th anniversary. Truly the most horrific sight at a football ground in the UK.

There's documentary about it tonight on BT Sport. 9.30pm I think.

There was also a Five Live documentary on it last night at 8pm. Must be on I-Player.

A tragic day. A good mate of mine from my college days, who's a lifelong Bradford City supporter, was in the ground that day.

I've teared up just looking at the still of the video, like dkw I've watched it before and I'd struggle to again. I agree with those who have said it didn't get nearly enough coverage as it deserved at the weekend. I'll save my disgust and wait to see if there's more of a commemoration next weekend, but if not then it's utterly disgusting. I’ll happily inundate the FA conveying my disgust as I’m sure others will. Unless Bradford and the families have stated they didn’t want the day remembering then there’s no excuse to simply ignore it.

I remember watching an interview with a guy who was 10 at the time and went to the game with his auntie. He said the last thing he remembers is his auntie pushing him over the top, he never saw her again. How do you get over that? Gut wrenching.

My deepest sympathies to the victims, the families and everyone involved on that day.

RIP all sad day

I remember the day so well....

 

If you think how long it takes to get out of a stadium today. those killed had now chance horrific !

 

RIP

Awful event...a tragedy which never gets shoved down our throats YNWA.

RIP those unfortunate people, a terrible tragedy.

Watching the video was horrendous. I don't know why I did it.

 

RIP to those poor fans.

I will never forget that day.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/15/bradford-fire-stafford-heginbotham-martin-fletcher

Will never forget those awful scenes. In many ways it was forgotten tragedy that changed football stadiums across England.

Will never forget those awful scenes. In many ways it was forgotten tragedy that changed football stadiums across England.

I think it's shameful the way it has been 'sidelined' and credit to those involved for being so dignified not only about the incident, but also the lack of attention to it. Truly awful.