GordonD Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Today is the 35th anniversary of the appalling fire at Valley Parade, Bradford, that took 56 lives. Whatever your football allegiance, pause for a moment and remember them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 I remember watching the news about it. Horrendous. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverton End Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Was watching BBC Grandstand that afternoon & they switched to Bradford, as the events unfolded. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 2 minutes ago, Silverton End said: Was watching BBC Grandstand that afternoon & they switched to Bradford, as the events unfolded. It was a bad month for football. Am sure a fan died at Birmingham v Leeds that day then Heysel happened later. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paranoid android Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Today would have been our annual office fire safety awareness training course - they guy regularly shows the Bradford video to demonstrate how quickly a fire can escalate - absolutely harrowing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonD Posted May 11, 2020 Author Share Posted May 11, 2020 Meadowbank were away to Ayr United, last game of the season. As we were walking back to the bus word started to spread about a fire at a ground somewhere, but no more details. There were the usual jokes about "Hope it's Ibrox!" but when we got back on the bus details were coming through on the radio. It was a very subdued trip home. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Graft Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Saw it as it happened, absolutely horrendous and still sticks in the mind. Absolutely scary how quickly that fire spread and engulfed the stand. It also set the mind racing about the safety of some of the stands in Scotland at the time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyAnchor Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 An awful event, respect. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northboy Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 1 hour ago, paranoid android said: Today would have been our annual office fire safety awareness training course - they guy regularly shows the Bradford video to demonstrate how quickly a fire can escalate - absolutely harrowing. My previous work used to have an annual briefing day which always had a section on safety. One year they had a Fire Office come along and his presentation was on the Bradford fire - it certainly made you think about a lot of the places you might frequent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shandon Par Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Vaguely recall going down to the lounge for a pie at half time at East End and it being on Grandstand. One of those horrendous sights you can’t take your eyes off. Made me mindful to obey the “no smoking” signs in the main stand as I grew up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullerene Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 I recall watching the television and the commentator casually said that a small fire had brought the game to a halt. It was only later that the sheer horror was announced. I read the book "56" by Martin Fletcher who lost his brother, father, uncle and grandfather in the fire. Stuart McCall was one of the Bradford players that day and his father was injured. Terry Yorath was also injured but his daughter Gabby Logan was not. Thankfully Bradford City were not in the top flight at the time, with a requirement to pen everyone in like at Hillsborough. Otherwise the death toll might have thousands. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 It's an utterly surreal memory now, from an era when the safety of crowds was not high on the list of priorities. Certainly not football crowds, who were genuinely considered to be little more than animals by the authorities. Health and safety, risk assessments and the like are a pain in the hole, but everyone should be reminded of what happens when that shit is allowed to slide. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurkst Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 17 minutes ago, Fullerene said: Thankfully Bradford City were not in the top flight at the time, with a requirement to pen everyone in like at Hillsborough. Otherwise the death toll might have thousands. I don't think the security fence regulations were applied to seated areas? An absolutely horrendous event which at least resulted in safety measures to ensure there were no repeats elsewhere. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 What a horrific thing to witness on the telly on a Saturday afternoon. Remember being at my sisters and thinking, that looks fucking bad news. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ferrino Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 3 hours ago, Lurkst said: I don't think the security fence regulations were applied to seated areas? An absolutely horrendous event which at least resulted in safety measures to ensure there were no repeats elsewhere. By ensuring gates could be opened at all times? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Ooft. This thread has brought back some horrific memories. As @Fullerene said; the commentator simply remarked "Well, we seem to have a small fire." and then in no time at all, we were watching utter carnage as people desperately tried to escape the blaze. Remember that poor old guy running with his hair on fire, trying to beat the flames out with his hands? That still haunts me. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullerene Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 8 minutes ago, Shotgun said: Ooft. This thread has brought back some horrific memories. As @Fullerene said; the commentator simply remarked "Well, we seem to have a small fire." and then in no time at all, we were watching utter carnage as people desperately tried to escape the blaze. Remember that poor old guy running with his hair on fire, trying to beat the flames out with his hands? That still haunts me. Yes. That man died despite all the people trying to help him. Many of the dead were under the stand getting refreshments. They were unable to escape because the turnstiles were all locked. I would like to think health and safety has improved vastly since then. I have seen the clip of the actual fire. I don't want to criticise the commentator but he kept saying how the police were doing a marvellous job and ignored all the brave fans that were trying to save people too. Different mindset to now or maybe I am reading too much into it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginaro Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 If you've not seen it there's a 72 minute BT Sport documentary http://sport.bt.com/video/one-day-in-may-the-story-of-the-bradford-city-fire-91363980609335 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Don't want to see that again, thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Ferrino Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 11 minutes ago, Ginaro said: If you've not seen it there's a 72 minute BT Sport documentary http://sport.bt.com/video/one-day-in-may-the-story-of-the-bradford-city-fire-91363980609335 72? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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