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Bradford fire - 37 years ago on May 11th

13

Comments

  • Addickted
    Addickted Posts: 19,456
    32 Years ago today.

    RIP the 56.
  • Lincsaddick
    Lincsaddick Posts: 32,357
    R I P ..
  • Chippycafc
    Chippycafc Posts: 14,151
    I will never forget that day...i was at Dunfermline v Stranraer when i asked a guy behind me how charlton were doing, he said he didnt know but there had been a fire at valley parade...Not sure whether we had Man City away that day and got humped 5-1.
  • SheffieldRed
    SheffieldRed Posts: 3,772

    RIP
  • Isawsummersplay
    Isawsummersplay Posts: 1,428
    Got into the car after leaving Maine Road and couldn't believe what I was hearing on the radio. The defeat by City became totally insignificant and it was a very quiet journey home - all four of us were stunned that a fire could have spread so quickly causing such a large loss of life. I think the death toll was over 50 from memory.
  • clb74
    clb74 Posts: 10,824
    RIP
  • Daggs
    Daggs Posts: 1,344
    Just watched that link......................................................horrendous.
  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,596
    I can remember it like is was yesterday, truly horrendous.
  • Redrobo
    Redrobo Posts: 11,330
    What was bad is that the owner that had several businesses go up in flames was never investigated. Lots of evidence apparently that the fire had been set.

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  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,852
    Redrobo said:

    What was bad is that the owner that had several businesses go up in flames was never investigated. Lots of evidence apparently that the fire had been set.

    Conspiracy theory I believe - not sure there was any evidence. Negligence most definitely.

  • bobmunro
    bobmunro Posts: 20,852
    edited May 2018
    Rob7Lee said:

    I can remember it like is was yesterday, truly horrendous.

    Me too, and watching it unfold live on TV not fully understanding what a tragedy was unfolding was, looking back, terrifying.

    RIP the 56 poor souls, and thoughts for those who still carry the wounds to this day.

  • cfgs
    cfgs Posts: 11,484
    Still makes me shudder. Horrific, 56 souls died for watching their team. The footage is terrifying the blaze spreads so quickly.

    RIP never forgotten
  • Rob7Lee
    Rob7Lee Posts: 9,596
    bobmunro said:

    Rob7Lee said:

    I can remember it like is was yesterday, truly horrendous.

    Me too, and watching it unfold live on TV not fully understanding what a tragedy was unfolding was, looking back, terrifying.

    RIP the 56 poor souls, and thoughts for those who still carry the wounds to this day.

    I somehow found myself in the electrical department of Alders in bromley for this and Hillsborough. Just watched the full video in the link above, i've seen many programmes on it over the years yet that one seemed to hit me most.
  • Redrobo
    Redrobo Posts: 11,330
    Chairman had made insurance claims on EIGHT previous fires at various businesses and claimed millions; one hell of a sequence of bad luck, all though he did do well out of them all.

    He had only just been told it would cost £2mil to make the stand comply with new promotion.

    He was in financial trouble and would have been unable to pay his work force to the end of the month.

    The club had been warned several times as to fire risk.

    There was also other suggestions about the speed of the fire spread that is speculation.

    None other than the fire risk warnings was heard at the massive 5 day enquiry.
  • TellyTubby
    TellyTubby Posts: 3,550
    I heard this powerful and moving account of the fire yesterday. I recommend it. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07v2mds

    I was driving back from Main Road as the news gradually came out.
  • Addickted
    Addickted Posts: 19,456
    Redrobo said:

    Chairman had made insurance claims on EIGHT previous fires at various businesses and claimed millions; one hell of a sequence of bad luck, all though he did do well out of them all.

    He had only just been told it would cost £2mil to make the stand comply with new promotion.

    He was in financial trouble and would have been unable to pay his work force to the end of the month.

    The club had been warned several times as to fire risk.

    There was also other suggestions about the speed of the fire spread that is speculation.

    None other than the fire risk warnings was heard at the massive 5 day enquiry.

    I can't imagine any of the insurance companies involved paying out massive sums on several policies, all of which involved fire, to the same businessman, without doing a couple of background checks first.
  • RaplhMilne
    RaplhMilne Posts: 4,603
    edited May 2020
    Thirty five years today. Thoughts with families of fellow fans. 

    Can we change title to 35
  • aliwibble
    aliwibble Posts: 26,300
    Done. There was an interview with Gaby Logan about the fire in the Telegraph last week (might be paywalled, so if you can't get past the first couple of paragraphs give me a shout and I'll copy and paste it), and apparently there's a programme about it on BTSport tonight at 9.
  • Chippycafc
    Chippycafc Posts: 14,151
    Truly dreadful day, will never forget the picture of the man trying to climb over the wall with either his coat or hair on fire. God rest those that perished and thoughts with their families. 

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  • clive
    clive Posts: 19,472
    aliwibble said:
    Done. There was an interview with Gaby Logan about the fire in the Telegraph last week (might be paywalled, so if you can't get past the first couple of paragraphs give me a shout and I'll copy and paste it), and apparently there's a programme about it on BTSport tonight at 9.
    For those without BT Sport this is the film due to be screened tonight,well worth watching.

    http://sport.bt.com/video/one-day-in-may-the-story-of-the-bradford-city-fire-91363980609335
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,235
    edited May 2020
    Former Addick George Shipley, who played for Lincoln at Valley Parade on the day of the fire, is fundraising for Bradford Burns Unit

  • The Prince-e-Paul
    The Prince-e-Paul Posts: 6,688
    edited May 2020
    RIP fellow fans. I remember the day and news coming through, just like the Hillsborough disaster and the twin towers. Somehow imprinted in memory. 
  • Donated. 
  • RaplhMilne
    RaplhMilne Posts: 4,603
    Donated
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 22,959
    Truly dreadful day, will never forget the picture of the man trying to climb over the wall with either his coat or hair on fire. God rest those that perished and thoughts with their families. 
    Worse was the poor bloke they focused in on who was just wandering around alight, before people in the crowd tried to help him by smothering him with coats etc.  I understand he died of the injuries, just a horrific sight and a horrible way to go.

    RIP the 56 who died.

    I know we moan about modem identikit stadiums and pine for the middle of housing, 4 different stands etc type stadiums, but thank goodness the new ones prevent things like the Bradford fire & the Hillsborough and Ibrox crushes.
  • clb74
    clb74 Posts: 10,824
    RIP
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,862
    Truly dreadful day, will never forget the picture of the man trying to climb over the wall with either his coat or hair on fire. God rest those that perished and thoughts with their families. 
    Worse was the poor bloke they focused in on who was just wandering around alight, before people in the crowd tried to help him by smothering him with coats etc.  I understand he died of the injuries, just a horrific sight and a horrible way to go.

    RIP the 56 who died.

    I know we moan about modem identikit stadiums and pine for the middle of housing, 4 different stands etc type stadiums, but thank goodness the new ones prevent things like the Bradford fire & the Hillsborough and Ibrox crushes.
    that is the image that stays with me too.

    Not running, or flailing around, just walking ablaze.

    RIP all
  • ross1
    ross1 Posts: 51,003
    My son and his mate were going to this game and no mobile phones then, when I saw it on TV my wife nad I were in a terrible state until he came home later, not aware of the fire