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Bradford fire - 37 years ago on May 11th

lordromfordlordromford
edited May 2022 in General Charlton
Bradford City are holding a one minute silence today to remember the 56 who died 27 years ago.
We're constantly reminded of the Hillsborough 96, but this disaster often goes under the radar.
I was 14 when this happened and I'll never forget those scenes on the tv. The whole family watching it unfold in stunned silence. Horrible.

RIP.

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Comments

  • se9addickse9addick
    RIP
  • BlackForestRedsBlackForestReds
    It's good to remember this event and those who died, and I agree that Hillsborough has taken more attention but please change the thread heading, you had me wondering for a moment if there had been another fire today.
  • lordromfordlordromford
    It's good to remember this event and those who died, and I agree that Hillsborough has taken more attention but please change the thread heading, you had me wondering for a moment if there had been another fire today.
    Sorry, you're right.
    Now edited.
  • CharltonKerryCharltonKerry
    For a health and safety certificate, I had to sit and watch the recordings of the bradford fire and also the piper alpha disaster, worse day of my life, the films we had to endure, well I can't describe them. Terrible day. Opened my eyes to the facts of cases, and how easily both could have been prevented.

    Felt so sorry for innocent people who just went out to enjoy themselves or to work and never returned to their loved ones.
  • stonemusestonemuse
    Hard to believe it's 27 years
  • StigStig
    Terrible day. The only good to come out of it was the people started taking fire safety seriously.
  • Dennis_inthelastminDennis_inthelastmin
    The Bradford fire occured at the final game of the season v. Lincoln City after Bradford had won the 4th division title - very poignant to remember given our final game of the season today having won the title. An abosolute tragedy, and the speed with which the fire spread has to be seen to be believed.
  • Dennis_inthelastminDennis_inthelastmin
    Correction - Bradford had won the 3rd division title because we played them at Odsal the following season in our promotion season.
  • Simon ESimon E
    I remember watching it unfold on telly. I was only 7. Then I saw that footage again a few months ago, and I still brought tears to my eyes.

    RIP
  • oohaahmortimeroohaahmortimer
    i remember hearing bits of news coming thru on the radio and not really realising the complete tragedy of it all, we were on our way back from a 5-1 defeat at promoted man city

    27 years scary
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  • HugoZHackenbushHugoZHackenbush
    I heard it unfold on the radio at home having happily missed the drubbing at Maine Road. I knew someone from Harpenden who just escaped from that stand along with his father and young son.

    Funnily I thought about this last night and mentioned today before the game the similarities between that game and today's. Happily today was a far better outcome.
  • ME14addickME14addick
    I remember watching it live on TV and have seen it a couple of times since during Fire Protection training at work. Truly horrific.
  • StrikerFirmaniStrikerFirmani
    Also remember hearing the shock of it on the radio whilst driving back from Main Road with Man City relatives. It was unbeilavable how it spread when you saw it on TV later that night.
  • PL54PL54
    I am sure Liverpool FC will be having a minutes silence at their next game.
  • HugoZHackenbushHugoZHackenbush
    I have a feeling George Shipley and Steve Thompson were in the Lincoln City team at Valley Parade
  • lordromfordlordromford
    The anniversary today.

    I'll be raising a glass to the 56 tonight.

    RIP
  • Addickted4lifeAddickted4life
    RIP - the video of it made me cry.
  • UboatUboat


    Felt so sorry for innocent people who just went out to enjoy themselves or to work and never returned to their loved ones.
    This sums it up for me. Absolutely shocking event. I was 13 at the time and I remember just sitting on my bed crying after watching that footage.
  • HugoZHackenbushHugoZHackenbush
    I think I have posted this before:

    A couple of weeks earlier I sat with my mother and watched a news item about Ken Bates wanting to raise an electric fence around Stamford Bridge. I went ballistic. My dear mother was really surprised (because I am normally quite restrained). I tried to explain to her that in the event of an emergency (and this was at a time when the IRA were active in mainland Britain) the quickest escape would be onto the pitch.

    That Saturday evening I sat and watched the footage from Valley Parade with her and without any prompting from my side she said "I see what you mean".

    Thankfully lessons have been learned from the Bradford fire. This past Tuesday I was talking to a colleage who is a volunteer fire control officer at Råsunda, Sweden's national stadium. He has seen the video at least 5 times.
  • CharltonKerryCharltonKerry
    The fire brigade video was the worse thing I have ever seen, the events shown was "live" from the moment the first smoke was seen until the terrible bitter end, those who seen this or saw some of the coverage will never be able to erase the terrible images, they are so bad i am in tears writing this.

    The effect on the grown man that sat with me was shocking, a few walked out, after a few minutes, to be honest I wished I had. The rest didn't talk for a few hours after, there was no drinking in the bar afterwards. Sad, shocking day.
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  • March51March51
    edited May 2012
    In 1983 the respected sports writer Simon Inglis wrote of the stand in his book 'The Football Grounds of England and Wales'.........' Underneath the seats are flaps which open to reveal piles of accumulated litter' and later......... ' So many apparent disadvantages, yet this is one of my favourite stands; quaint, run-down, and uncomfortable certainly, but homely, and I think fully deserving preservation.'

    In the next, updated edition of the book he expressed his deep regret at not realising the potential danger of the 'accumulated litter' and his failure to bring it to the Club's attention.

    A tragic event which was so avoidable. RIP.

  • northstandstevenorthstandsteve
    Was on a football tour in Ostende with Hayden watched it unfold on Granstand very sad. For those that lost their lives God Bless You. R.I.P.
  • SimonsenSimonsen
    We were at Manchester City that day, in the middle of their promotion party having beaten us 5-1. The news didn't really hit us until we were well on the way home and even then it didn't really register because we'd been at such a contrasting event.

    Kerry...I've seen that video too. The time between the first whisps of smoke appearing and the fire ball engulfing the stand is staggeringly short. In some ways it was remarkable that more people weren't killed.
  • HugoZHackenbushHugoZHackenbush
    It's available on YouTube. Yorkshire Television were there recording the game.

    (not recommended breakfast viewing)

  • LincsaddickLincsaddick
    As discussed above, the stand went up like a bonfire in just a few seconds. The stand was mostly a wooden construction and, as in the Kings Cross Underground fire, accumulated litter was sparked off, probably by a discarded cigarette butt.
    The thought of being trapped helpless in a blaze like that makes me shudder. RIP all those who died there and solace to their families. Even after all these years the pain must still linger.
  • MiserableoldgitMiserableoldgit
    Very Sad. & Frightening. RIP.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLjquReTHcU&feature=related

  • smudge7946smudge7946
    For a health and safety certificate, I had to sit and watch the recordings of the bradford fire and also the piper alpha disaster, worse day of my life, the films we had to endure, well I can't describe them. Terrible day. Opened my eyes to the facts of cases, and how easily both could have been prevented.

    Felt so sorry for innocent people who just went out to enjoy themselves or to work and never returned to their loved ones.
    You must have done the same course as me. I had to watch the video too. Its a scary video to watch. What really stuck in my mind was the players 80's haircuts on display, but more pertinantly was the amazing job done by all the emergency services that day. The fire brigade, police and ambulance service played an absolute blinder.
  • HugoZHackenbushHugoZHackenbush
    And the staff of Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield did a amazing job of caring for the badly burned.
  • CharltonKerryCharltonKerry
    Smudge it was a 5 day course, the thing that shocked me was that poor sole who was fully alight and just standing there, I think in the end they cut that portion of the film. The speed of the spread of the fire was frightening, anyone away from the exit didn't stand a chance. Hugo everybody involved in the rescue services that where utter heros, and those working in the casualty and burns units must have seen some horrendous sights.

    The day of the fire I was travelling with a load of my mates to watch Macclesfield v the mighty Darts in the semi final of the FA trophy which we lost, but who cared.
  • tom_ktom_k
    I was too young to remember this, looking at the commentary video, it seemed that everyone had escaped the stand and were on the pitch. How did so many people die? what happened to them? Sorry if this sounds strange or disrespectful I don't mean it to be. An awful tragedy and after our last game it really brings it home.
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