Remembering the Bradford City fire - 25 years on

[canary cherub 1]

The trophy we will receive next Saturday is the one that Bradford City received on that dreadful day when 54 Bradford fans and 2 Lincoln City fans died, May 11th 1985.

I for one will be thinking of them and their families when the trophy is handed over.

 

[Harry 0]

Whilst I echo your sentiments it isn''t actually the same trophy, this changes with every sponsor.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="Harry"]Whilst I echo your sentiments it isn''t actually the same trophy, this changes with every sponsor.
[/quote]

Yes I know.

 

[William Darby 0]

If we had a fire during a game a Carrow Road.  When everyone would be trying to escape, some clown would bellow over the PA system, ''KEEP OFF THE PITCH''

[Harry 0]

[quote user="canary cherub "]

[quote user="Harry"]Whilst I echo your sentiments it isn''t actually the same trophy, this changes with every sponsor.[/quote]

Yes I know.

 

[/quote]But not everyone does.  [;)]

[Standard 0]

[url]http://www.youtube.ie/watch?v=2rD4jI1x6SU&feature=fvw[/url]

[url]http://www.youtube.ie/watch?v=DkTFG9c1QfY&feature=related[url]

For those who don''t know about the disaster or aren''t old enough to remember this is it.

<>

[Standard 0]

Well that clearly failed despite it looking ok on the preview

Try again

Fire footage

http://www.youtube.ie/watch?v=2rD4jI1x6SU&feature=fvw

Local radio Comms

http://www.youtube.ie/watch?v=DkTFG9c1QfY&feature=related

[AndyCanary 0]

Good post..Just terrifying how quickly it got out of control. It was truly horrendous, especially as so many young people died.

[e10_yellow 0]

There''s a strict ban on that footage being broadcast and the fact it''s somehow got onto YouTube is highly controversial, particularly in Bradford itself. I saw it a couple of years ago and have no desire to watch it again, it''s truly awful, but it does indeed show unbelievably quickly flash fire can spread.People often wish for the return of ''the good old days'' at football grounds, but there''s an important distinction that grounds nowadays are safe and procedures far more organised, meaning that an event like this should never happen again. Unfortunately the warnings on the danger of the main stand at Bradford weren''t heeded, the horrible irony being that the stand was due to be torn down the next day.RIP the 56.

[Standard 0]

I did warn on the first message that it showed the fire and didn''t know it was restricted as it was on Youtube.

Those who moan about the plastic stadia we now visit should remember the price that was paid. 1 cigarette, 4 minutes, 56 dead

[e10_yellow 0]

[quote user="Standard"]I did warn on the first message that it showed the fire and didn''t know it was restricted as it was on Youtube.

Those who moan about the plastic stadia we now visit should remember the price that was paid. 1 cigarette, 4 minutes, 56 dead[/quote]Yep, restricted for TV broadcast I should have said. It''s used for fire safety training videos which I guess is how it''s sneaked onto YouTube.

[Queen B 0]

I''m too young to remember this but how truly horrific.

[Harry 0]

I remember seeing it on the Television News that evening, it was truly horrific. But what I remember most is talking  about it to some of the Fans who were injured in the fire and some who lost family in the fire in a Pub the following season after we had gained promotion against them that day.

It really brought things into perspective.

[Graham Humphrey 13]

[quote user="s10_yellow"]Yep, restricted for TV broadcast I should have said. It''s used for fire safety training videos which I guess is how it''s sneaked onto YouTube.[/quote]Yeah, I had fire training last year and we were shown that video.  I wasn''t born at the time of this happening but it was really awful and uncomfortable to watch.  It''s really hard to comprehend how one minute, your typical football match is being played out and just a few minutes later the stand burns down and 56 people die.

[K Lo 246]

Football stadia had to move on a long way during the ''80s. It had to deal with hooliganism, overcrowding and fire safety. All of which had led to the loss of significant lives during disasters in the ''80s and led onto grounds being modernised greatly during the ''90s.

[canary cherub 1]

[quote user="AndyCanary"]Good post..

Just terrifying how quickly it got out of control. It was truly horrendous, especially as so many young people died.
[/quote]

Yes, one of them was a players girlfriend aged 20.  There was also three generations of one family (grandfather, father, son and uncle), twin boys aged 12, and quite a number of older people including the club''s oldest season ticket holder who was 86. 

I''ve no wish to dwell on this, but I think this disaster has been overshadowed by Hillsborough, partly because Bradford aren''t a bit club I suspect.

For anyone who would like to know more but doesn''t want to watch the video, ''The Archive Hour'' on Radio 4 on Saturday featured Gabby Logan, who was in the stand on the day, outlining how it happened and sharing remembrances with other people who were there, including some very moving commentary from the local radio presenter as events unfolded.  It''s probably available on Listen Again. 

One of the most impressive things was the way the people of Bradford didn''t play the blame game, even though there were a number of obvious safety issues that could have been addressed without spending money but weren''t.

 

[gazzathegreat 0]

Sadly I am old enough to remember it, I was watching the Final Score on Grandstand that day where they reported it. It is certainly something I won''t watch again, no need as I can remember it like it was yesterday. I have since been to Bradford away games many times and have to say it''s one of my favourite away venues. Great tragedy and like all of them, we can only hope that lessons were learned.

[Mister Chops 7]

I just checked Youtube and to be honest, I wish I hadn''t.  There''s a horrible scene at the end with someone walking out of the stand that is going to haunt me.I hope people remember the bravery as well as the tragedy, there were supporters and police pulling people out of the stand at great risk to their own lives and I find that kind of heroism, to risk your life for another person''s, often a stranger''s,  completely inspirational.  I''d like to think I''d do the same thing, but hope to never find out.

[Levi Stubbs 0]

The following season (I think),Leeds fans went there and caused mayhem,including SETTING FIRE to the refreshment stall!

[Brendo 0]

Can I ask if it was accidental or arson?

[Brendo 0]

[quote user="A Change is Gonna Come"]The following season (I think),Leeds fans went there and caused mayhem,including SETTING FIRE to the refreshment stall![/quote]That''s disgusting. I know some Leeds fans are ok, but it''s these types of things why they are one of the most hated clubs across the country.

[Herman 11,136]

[quote user="Brendo "]Can I ask if it was accidental or arson?
[/quote]

Accidental.Someone dropped a fag under the seats,which then set fire to years and years worth of accumulated rubbish.

My brother had to watch the fire safety video,and what he told me makes me certainly not want to watch it.

RIP to those poor souls.

[Brendo 0]

RIP indeed. Terrible tragedy.

[Harry 0]

[quote user="A Change is Gonna Come"]The following season (I think),Leeds fans went there and caused mayhem,including SETTING FIRE to the refreshment stall![/quote]After fire Bradford played their home games at the Odsal Stadium until December 1986 so it was either at the Odsal or not that season.The Odsal is situated in a hollow so you walk through the turnstile and find yourself at the back of the stand and is used mainly for Rugby but has also been used for speedway.At one time it held the record for the highest Rugby Football crowd of 102,569.