[Football] Saturday May 11th 1985 Bradford

[Flagship]

Today is the 34th anniversary of one of the most horrific things ever seen at a football stadium - the Bradford City fire disaster where 30 people died in an horrific fire in the stand.

The ironic thing is that the stand was due to be demolished the following week and rebuilt.

You don't hear so much about it as the Liverpool episode (wonder why).

Anyway, they rebuilt the stand at its for embers only.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I've just seen a reminder of it elsewhere. Still vividly remember watching it on the telly as it happened. Horrific.

 

[Vicar!]

Haunts me. I was there six weeks prior. I remember a wooden rabbit warren.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Today is the 34th anniversary of one of the most horrific things ever seen at a football stadium - the Bradford City fire disaster where 30 people died in an horrific fire in the stand.

The ironic thing is that the stand was due to be demolished the following week and rebuilt.

The Guardian published a rather chilling piece on this tragedy a number years ago...

"The blaze that killed 56 football fans at Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground in 1985 was just one of at least nine fires at businesses owned by or associated with the club’s then chairman.There had been at least eight other fires at business premises either owned by, or connected to, Stafford Heginbotham, Bradford’s then-chairman, in the previous 18 years, resulting in huge insurance claims.

The disaster at Valley Parade came at a time when the businessman was in desperate financial trouble, unable to pay his workforce beyond that month. Heginbotham had learned two days before the fire it would cost £2m to bring the ground up to safety standards required by Bradford’s promotion from the old Third Division that season. Yet this has never been reported and did not feature in the Popplewell Inquiry, chaired by the then high court judge Oliver Popplewell, which held its investigation only three weeks after the fire.

The pattern began with a fire at a three-storey Bradford factory in May 1967 and continued on Good Friday 1968 with another fire at the premises of Genefoam, of which Heginbotham was the managing director. A firm Heginbotham had founded suffered a serious fire in 1970 before the Castle Mills building, owned by Heginbotham, had a fire in 1971. Further blazes followed at the Douglas Mills building, also owned by Heginbotham, in August and November 1977. In December that year there was a fire at the premises of Coronet Marketing, a subsidiary of Heginbotham’s Tebro Toys. A further fire at the Douglas Mills building occurred in June 1981."

 

[vegster]

Terrible tragedy, RIP.

 

[Nottseagull]

Anyway, they rebuilt the stand at its for embers only.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Anyway, they rebuilt the stand at its for embers only.

Is this an honest error? If not then a ban should be coming.

 

[Birdie Boy]

The Guardian published a rather chilling piece on this tragedy a number years ago...

"The blaze that killed 56 football fans at Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground in 1985 was just one of at least nine fires at businesses owned by or associated with the club’s then chairman.There had been at least eight other fires at business premises either owned by, or connected to, Stafford Heginbotham, Bradford’s then-chairman, in the previous 18 years, resulting in huge insurance claims.

The disaster at Valley Parade came at a time when the businessman was in desperate financial trouble, unable to pay his workforce beyond that month. Heginbotham had learned two days before the fire it would cost £2m to bring the ground up to safety standards required by Bradford’s promotion from the old Third Division that season. Yet this has never been reported and did not feature in the Popplewell Inquiry, chaired by the then high court judge Oliver Popplewell, which held its investigation only three weeks after the fire.

The pattern began with a fire at a three-storey Bradford factory in May 1967 and continued on Good Friday 1968 with another fire at the premises of Genefoam, of which Heginbotham was the managing director. A firm Heginbotham had founded suffered a serious fire in 1970 before the Castle Mills building, owned by Heginbotham, had a fire in 1971. Further blazes followed at the Douglas Mills building, also owned by Heginbotham, in August and November 1977. In December that year there was a fire at the premises of Coronet Marketing, a subsidiary of Heginbotham’s Tebro Toys. A further fire at the Douglas Mills building occurred in June 1981."

WTF... is he dead now?

 

[Bry Nylon]

Is this an honest error? If not then a ban should be coming.

Agree.

Pitiful, truly pitiful.

 

[Bry Nylon]

WTF... is he dead now?

Yes. He died in 1995, aged 61.

 

[lawros left foot]

Today is the 34th anniversary of one of the most horrific things ever seen at a football stadium - the Bradford City fire disaster where 30 people died in an horrific fire in the stand.

The ironic thing is that the stand was due to be demolished the following week and rebuilt.

You don't hear so much about it as the Liverpool episode (wonder why).

Anyway, they rebuilt the stand at its for embers only.

There were 56 people died, 54 BCFC supporters, and 2 from Lincoln City.


I really hope that you haven’t just started this thread to get a sick joke in at the expense of those who died, that would be one of the most disgusting things that was ever posted on here. And, occasionally that is not a very high bar.

 

[Whitechapel]

You don't hear so much about it as the Liverpool episode (wonder why)

Because of the massive police cover-up in the “Liverpool episode” which saw innocent people have their reputation tarnished, as well as people who lost their lives due to police negligence being labelled as responsible?

Families have had to fight for the truth for 30 years. The Bradford fire was a terrible accident, but it was an open and shut case. That’s not the case with Hillsborough. It’s quite obvious. Very weird comment to make.

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

Had family/friends there. Some scarred for life (mentally and physically). Very sad day. RIP those who didn't make it.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Very sad day.

 

[atfc village]

sad sad day that could of happened at any ramshackle 3rd or 4th Division ground of the 80's . The biggest tragic event of my life of watching football in 43 years. RIP the 56.

 

[Megazone]

I watched this disaster for the first time on youtube. I couldn't believe how traumatic it was watching it.
I remember seeing an old couple just sitting amongst the flames unable to move whilst the crowd who'd got onto the pitch had to just watch them burn. I also remember a man completly on fire walking along the stand whilst you could hear everyone else just screaming at the sight of him. It really was like hell had just turned up out of nowhere.
I'd only watched it on the internet and yet It really effected me for the next few days. I can only imagine how badly it must've effected the people of Bradford.
For something like that to happen at a place people go to to escape for a few hours and just enjoy the occasion, it's heart breaking to know what everyone there ended up experiencing and witnessing.

It should never be forgotten. Thoughts go out to anyone who experienced that match.

 

[darkwolf666]

I watched this disaster for the first time on youtube. I couldn't believe how traumatic it was watching it.
I remember seeing an old couple just sitting amongst the flames unable to move whilst the crowd who'd got onto the pitch had to just watch them burn. I also remember a man completly on fire walking along the stand whilst you could hear everyone else just screaming at the sight of him. It really was like hell had just turned up out of nowhere.
I'd only watched it on the internet and yet It really effected me for the next few days. I can only imagine how badly it must've effected the people of Bradford.
For something like that to happen at a place people go to to escape for a few hours and just enjoy the occasion, it's heart breaking to know what everyone there ended up experiencing and witnessing.

It should never be forgotten. Thoughts go out to anyone who experienced that match.

I think what always stands out for me, is despite the tragedy unfolding before them there were still idiots happy to goon in front of the cameras! I remember sitting and watching this unfold live, a terrible terrible tragedy.

 

[BN41Albion]

I watched this disaster for the first time on youtube. I couldn't believe how traumatic it was watching it.
I remember seeing an old couple just sitting amongst the flames unable to move whilst the crowd who'd got onto the pitch had to just watch them burn. I also remember a man completly on fire walking along the stand whilst you could hear everyone else just screaming at the sight of him. It really was like hell had just turned up out of nowhere.
I'd only watched it on the internet and yet It really effected me for the next few days. I can only imagine how badly it must've effected the people of Bradford.
For something like that to happen at a place people go to to escape for a few hours and just enjoy the occasion, it's heart breaking to know what everyone there ended up experiencing and witnessing.

It should never be forgotten. Thoughts go out to anyone who experienced that match.

I completely agree. This thread prompted me to watch the footage from the game on YouTube for the first time in years. I can't get the image of the guy walking on to the pitch completely on fire out of my head now. Haunting. Apparently he died later in hospital unfortunately.

Ill certainly be even more thankful for what we have in the Amex later when I look around the stadium for the last time this season.

 

[ManOfSussex]

If you haven't seen it, BT Sport showed a documentary - 'One Day in May: The Story Of The Bradford Fire' - 4 years back for the 30th anniversary that's available here - https://vimeo.com/220448494

Very moving and well worth watching. Presented by Gabby Logan, her and everyone else you see on camera were actually there that day.

 

[Ludensian Gull]

Today is the 34th anniversary of one of the most horrific things ever seen at a football stadium - the Bradford City fire disaster where 30 people died in an horrific fire in the stand.

The ironic thing is that the stand was due to be demolished the following week and rebuilt.

You don't hear so much about it as the Liverpool episode (wonder why).

Anyway, they rebuilt the stand at its for embers only.

Should be ashamed of yourself