25 years since the Bradford fire

[Gritt23]

God rest their sould. What an horrific day. I used to know a couple of people who were there that day, and words couldn't describe the horror anything like as clearly as the look in their eyes told it.

I remember the day clearly, hearing the news, and trying to come to terms with the full horror of what had happened. There were old wooden stands up and down the country. It really could have been any of us.

 

[little al]

I remember seeing this at the time vividly. Truly awful and puts tomorrows game into some perspective.

RIP.

 

[Gritt23]

Who remembers when the South Stand at The Goldstone went up in flames?

Not quite the same thing though was it? As I remember that, it happened about 5.30pm, after the last home game of the season. No-one was even in the stand at the time, and we had the whole summer to build a replacement with the insurance money.

Couldn't have been much further removed from the events of Bradford.

 

[The Phoenix]

The only thing positive is that lessons have been learned. I mean really, why would a club just let garbage be left underneath a stand? Apart from obviously being a fire hazard, I am surprised people would put up with sitting on top of a pile of rubbish.

Just watching this video footage alone should have shown anyone in charge of safety in football that fencing was a bad idea. But that lesson wasn't learnt in time for Hillsborough. This should've been a huge wakeup call that safety at football grounds needed to be improved, but it wasn't taken up on.

 

[The Phoenix]

I had absolutely no idea about the fire at Bradford until I (along with some friends) was shown a video of it as part of a training session to work at Wembley for some Uni beer tokens.

Was this the new or old Wembley? From what I've seen on the new Wembley, it looks like there's semi-fencing by the pitch which would stop anyone being able to get out of the stand that way? How do they justify this when showing a video of thousands of people escaping death by exiting the front of the stand?

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

Saw the video once as part of a fire wardens training thing I did in the Sussex Fire Service place in Mayfield(?)

The speed with which it went up - the reaction and cheering of the crowd - the banality of the commentary - the people on fire clambering out the stands.

An absolute video nasty.

*shudder*

 

[The Phoenix]

Apparently the Bradford Supporters club have campaigned to have the video not made public for years. After seeing their fans jumping up and down whilst their own burnt to death, I can understand why.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

It's sad that so many youngsters have not heard of this and, as others have said, it would have got more publicity if it had been a top club.

Just to add some background, it was the last day of the season and Bradford were going up from the bottom division. lincoln may also have been fighting for promotion but either way, the ground was packed. Any other fixture and a lower crowd and there would have been more chance to escape.

The rubbish under the stand had not really been placed there but acumilated over 70 odd years. it was a wooden stand and fag buts and general litter would have fallen through. As with kings Cross, it was a build up of litter in an area which doesn't get used.

Some real horror stories but they did bring changes and that's why there have to be stewards at each gate. Fans must never be locked in again. One of the saddest things I heard was of a young teenager who was serving in a burger bar behind the stand and perished along with the rest. She wouldn't have known about the fire until it was too late.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I remember going into school on the Monday after and everyone in the playground talking about it. Can't believe it has been 25 years. Wooden stands were condemned as a result but it is a shame it took such loss of life for it to happen. R.I.P. all those who died.

Our grounds are safe now as a direct result of Valley Parade in 85 and Hillsborough 89.

 

[Cpt. Spavil]

RIP the 56

 

[Spanish Seagulls]

Not quite the same thing though was it? As I remember that, it happened about 5.30pm, after the last home game of the season. No-one was even in the stand at the time, and we had the whole summer to build a replacement with the insurance money.

Couldn't have been much further removed from the events of Bradford.

I wasn't drawing comparisons or didn't intend to anyway. What happened there was a true tragedy.

 

[Emily's Mum]

When I worked in Sheffield I worked with the wife of Dave Staniforth who had played for Bradford City. He left to join Halifax Town just two weeks before the end of the season. Had he still have been playing, my friend & her 12 year old daughter would have died. They lost a lot of friends that day and the coverage still haunts them.

 

[Aldo]

rip x

 

[Basil Fawlty]

I remember first seeing this in a Fire Instruction course at School. Back then it was on VCR, when I sat there watching this dreadful thing happen. I felt emotionally sick inside, I've never seen anything quite like it. There was a man walking calmly on fire, the commentator words were "there is a man on a fire, this is truely terrible day." In those sort of words anyway. Watch the video on Youtube, if you don't believe me its on there.

 

[windowlicker]

isnt the main stand at luton still wooden. such a shame it took more tragic moments at football grounds for the government to do something.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Was this the new or old Wembley? From what I've seen on the new Wembley, it looks like there's semi-fencing by the pitch which would stop anyone being able to get out of the stand that way? How do they justify this when showing a video of thousands of people escaping death by exiting the front of the stand?

T'was the old Wembley. We only got two gigs there in the end. Deal Town vs Chippenham - I was a steward on the trohpy stairs. Chelsea vs Aston Villa, the boss filled up the van with unleaded instead of diesel and we never made it there. :US:

Ken Bates was a key figure in getting fences put up. From recollection, he also wanted them to be electrified? Only been to new Wembley once and was too far away to notice fencing.

Fencing. A poor and hasty measure to confront hooliganism. Why were the authorities so thick? Hmmmm... countless thousand peoplee and block off the most convenient exit..?

 

[The Phoenix]

I only know about him proposing the idea of an electric fence. **** of the highest order.

Re:Wembley fencing:

The random blocks of fence/barrier at the front appear to be lined with wire which makes it extremely difficult to get over, since you can't stand on the wire and get over the block of fence. Basically does the same job as a 10ft fence but they can get away with it because it's more discreet and doesn't make people think of the fencing from back in the day.

 

[surrey jim]

I remember first seeing this in a Fire Instruction course at School. Back then it was on VCR, when I sat there watching this dreadful thing happen. I felt emotionally sick inside, I've never seen anything quite like it. There was a man walking calmly on fire, the commentator words were "there is a man on a fire, this is truely terrible day." In those sort of words anyway. Watch the video on Youtube, if you don't believe me its on there.

Link to video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2ic9_0oEWg

(sorry cannot remember how to embed a video)

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

The only thing positive is that lessons have been learned. I mean really, why would a club just let garbage be left underneath a stand? Apart from obviously being a fire hazard, I am surprised people would put up with sitting on top of a pile of rubbish.

Without meaning to scare-monger - what do you think is under the South stand?

 

[wodge]

very sad reading the list of victims on the Bradford site, half of those who died did so with 1 or even 2 of their relatives. One bloke appears to have died with his 12 year old twin boys, awful.

Bradford City | Club | History | History | IN MEMORIAM