Just a reminder as there doesn't seem to be a mention of it anywhere else that it is the 24th anniversary of the fire that claimed the lives of 56 supporters.
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Bradford Fire Anniversary
- Thread starter drew
- Start date
torchieboy
Active member
2 of those being lincoln fans who were known to my mates from lincoln. RIP
Barrel of Fun
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I had not really seen much of this catastrophe, until I watched the official police video as part of a Wembley training session. Very sad.
I had not really seen much of this catastrophe, until I watched the official police video as part of a Wembley training session. Very sad.
Barry Izbak
U.T.A.
Next time you hear someone describe relegation or failing to make the play offs as a tragedy, point out to them that they don't know what they are fcuking talking about.
RIP
RIP
Wardy
NSC's Benefits Guru
If I recall it was a wooden stand and there was a build up of paper and other rubish underneath it. Someone dropped a match / cigaratte and it caught light. I might be wrong though and if so I appoligise.
Barrel of Fun
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I think it was years and years of litter an debris that collected underneath the stand and was ignited by a cigarette end. The club knew of the risk and had been warned about it previously.
Seagullible
Super Keeper
very sad and scary how quick the fire spread. Not sure some of those dancing around in front of the camera realised just how bad it was. RIP
alan partridge
Active member
I seem to remember this being live on tv, and the commentary on the YouTube video kind of suggests it was too.
Frightening how it spread
Frightening how it spread
Thanks
Amazing really, But seriously who would drop a cigarette/match into a wooden stand and surely Bradford should of cleaned up the rubbish underneath it?
One persons stupidity cost 70 odd people thier lives
ben andrews' girlfriend
Nurse Laura
Local firefighters did their fire safety talk, and showed this video when I was in school. It scared me shitless, and ever since always look where the fire escapes are in football grounds.
It's weird that this doesn't get as much publicity as Hillsborough.
It's weird that this doesn't get as much publicity as Hillsborough.
Probably because Liverpool are in the premier league and Bradford are in the 4'th tier which is unacceptable really.
ben andrews' girlfriend
Nurse Laura
You're probably right.
portlock seagull
Well-known member
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,777
I haven't forgotten this; we had distant relations who died in it and others who still bear the scares. Coincidently we met up with them at a family funeral only last Friday up in Bradford and got chatting about this. It was interesting to hear how he described the day unfold and the aftermath. But to him it's now something that happened a very long time ago (even though they remember the victims each anniversary, next year being the 25th) - no flashbacks or nightmares incurred.
He's still a season-ticket holder at Valley Parade, as are other family who we met up with at the w/e. I could see on his face the skin grafts had done a remarkable job of rebuilding him; with time they'd faded into his ageing skin. But his hands were still terribly scarred and when he showed me them I shivered - fingers were shorter etc than those on his other hand because his hands had melted on the red hot iron railings as he desperately fought to get his dad over the front of the burning stand. Unfortunately he died later in hospital. Tragic indeed, I remember it well.
He's still a season-ticket holder at Valley Parade, as are other family who we met up with at the w/e. I could see on his face the skin grafts had done a remarkable job of rebuilding him; with time they'd faded into his ageing skin. But his hands were still terribly scarred and when he showed me them I shivered - fingers were shorter etc than those on his other hand because his hands had melted on the red hot iron railings as he desperately fought to get his dad over the front of the burning stand. Unfortunately he died later in hospital. Tragic indeed, I remember it well.
Arthur
Well-known member
Just finished reading Neil Redfern's autobiography and he was playing for Lincoln that day but being a Bradford lad had his wife and dad stood in the end that went up. The book isn't the best in world but worth a read for that chapter alone. What the bloke must have been going through stood on the pitch watching that unfold must have been unreal.
Heard some real horror stories about it, specifically a father and his two children melted together. Very sad day indeed.
Heard some real horror stories about it, specifically a father and his two children melted together. Very sad day indeed.
I went to a match there 6 weeks prior to the event. Still haunts me. The game wasn't live but the fire was chillingly shown in full the next day. I don't know why but I videoed it. On a meeting with some fire officers in Sussex a few weeks later they told me they were looking for a copy to show in future presentations. I handed them the tape.
northstandnorth
THE GOLDSTONE
Thanks
Amazing really, But seriously who would drop a cigarette/match into a wooden stand and surely Bradford should of cleaned up the rubbish underneath it?
One persons stupidity cost 70 odd people thier lives
We lost the old south stand at the goldstone,built the same with wooden bench seats at the back of a standing enclosure and a low wooden wall seperating both halves, due to a dropped fag end at a game against Middlesborough in the old Div one.
only difference for us was that it took longer to burn properly and it went up overnight.we were lucky.
In his book "Footbal Grounds of England And Wales" Published in 1983 years before this tragedy Simon Inglis describes this stand as Being constructed of wood with "Underneath the seats are little flaps which open to reveal piles of accumulated litter" elsewhere in the book he refers to these piles including mars bar wrappers with prices in old pence dating them as late 50's early 60's.
most lives were lost because fans in the seats went to the rear exits on this stand to find the gates padlocked and chained and no stewards on duty,once at the back there was no way back to the pitch and no where to go.
