Incident in the North East Corner

[BHAFC_Pandapops]

Did anyone see what happened?

It looked like a floodlight was on fire and then blew out. I also saw lots of bits falling from the light itself and then about 10 people getting evacuated.

Hope nobody was hurt.

Sorry if fixtures.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Yes apparently the cover swung open and then melted which was the bits falling -

 

[Zukey Seagull]

The light blew, then the lid came off. Loads of parts kept dropping out. Loads of little fire balls. Then one big part almost dropped on someone. Then they blocked off that area.

 

[Postman Pat]

There was a bang and lots of smoke and then bits falling out on fire. They moved everyone under it into the middle and cordoned off the area. Didn't see anyone gettin any medical attention.

Was a bit hairy for a moment, thought they were all going to go off.

 

[Stat Brother]

When the cover fell, it landed a row in front of a woman, and missed a steward by even less.

It could have been nasty if it weren't half time, as I'd imagine those sitting there would have had just enough time to look up before the debris rained down.

 

[vegster]

God is angry.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

It had been alight for some minutes - smoke had been pouring out if it for some while. On the basis that it had been spotted by the stewards, it seems a bit poor that nothing much was done to secure the area. There could have been a number of dangerous outcomes and they were lucky that it wasn't more serious.

 

[Bladders]

Not just the team thats falling apart then...

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Stewards seemed extremely slow in moving people away from the area.

 

[wellquickwoody]

So let's get this right, no one at all got hurt?

Phew!!!!!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

So let's get this right, no one at all got hurt?

Phew!!!!!

Hopefully so. But from a health and safety point of view, you have to ask the "What if ...?" question and realise that the answer to that is that a very serious injury might have occurred, given that preventative action wasn't taken in the couple of minutes before hot metal stuff started dropping into the seats.

 

[m.c.hamster]

Blown light

I was the steward that bits of the light nearly hit. We did not see the burning light and the first we knew was when the light blew and then I was not sure where it came from. A piece of the light landed next to me and did nearly hit a woman and a child. At first we thought someone had thrown something.

Quickly after some pieces of the light rained down and I was struck by something hot as was my colleague. We moved everyone away as soon as we realised the danger and no--one was hurt. There were spare seats so we could relocate every one.

Fortunately it was half time and most seats were empty.
Every light will be checked by the club before the next game which is a monumental task.

The little lad who was almost struck was ok but I think his parents were a bit shaken. Something and nothing really but could have been worse. Maybe luck was on our side as we also scored a 92nd minute equaliser!!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I was the steward that bits of the light nearly hit. We did not see the burning light and the first we knew was when the light blew and then I was not sure where it came from

There were certainly stewards elsewhere in the North Stand who had seen the smoking light well before anything fell from the fitting. There were also club staff on the pitch who had seen it. I'm surprised that an appropriate warning message hadn't reached the seats where the debris fell well before it happened. But apparently not.

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

There were certainly stewards elsewhere in the North Stand who had seen the smoking light well before anything fell from the fitting. There were also club staff on the pitch who had seen it. I'm surprised that an appropriate warning message hadn't reached the seats where the debris fell well before it happened. But apparently not.

I must say as someone who has a bit of Health and Safety in his role (I'm responsible for a number of fire alarm and emergency lighting checks), I was concerned at the slow response. I hope I am right that the number at each game given to the Stadium Manager is the actual attendance and not the number of tickets sold, given the implications if an evacuation should be needed. Glad everyone is okay though. It looked dangerous from where I am (North Stand, G Block).

 

[Gazwag]

I commented at about 14:40 that I had never seen the fire steward before when he was at the front of the north stand before the game, coincidence

 

[Thunder Bolt]

What concerned me, was the fact it took so long to radio someone to switch the light off. It was obvious that it was smoking, and smoldering pieces of metail were falling onto the fans/seats, but nobody seemed to report it so that it could be made safe. Electrical fires can be extinguished by switching off the supply. It seems elementary to me.

 

[bennibenj]

There were actually flames coming from it.

Was a fairly loud BANG when it exploded, normally in H block but was in I block for this one, was more of an onlooker but good job they turned the power off as it could have escalated.

 

[Monkey Man]

Not exactly the kind of thing that you expect to happen so pointless to imply the stewards were slow to react. I heard the bang and saw the smoke and then the sparks but it would be pretty hard to gauge the risks and the seats affected in the couple of minutes during which the problem lasted. Could have been nasty and I'm sure it was scary but thankfully nobody hurt and nobody to blame.

 

[clippedgull]

I must say as someone who has a bit of Health and Safety in his role (I'm responsible for a number of fire alarm and emergency lighting checks), I was concerned at the slow response. I hope I am right that the number at each game given to the Stadium Manager is the actual attendance and not the number of tickets sold, given the implications if an evacuation should be needed. Glad everyone is okay though. It looked dangerous from where I am (North Stand, G Block).

Not sure how relevant an actual number of attendees is at a large event for evacuation purposes?

Its not as if everybody has to muster at an outside point before they are released to go home. But, having said that the Stadium manager can access software that gives the actual number of attendees. Something by the way that the police do not get given as routine.