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🎗 | On 11th May 1985, 56 people went to a football match and never returned. Today - 35 years on - we pay tribute to those who lost their lives. They will be forever remembered.#BCAFCpic.twitter.com/JCdZQDman4
— Bradford City AFC (@officialbantams) May 10, 2020
When I worked in security training people we used to have to show the footage of the fire every course, I think I started turning away after the third or fourth showing. As football fans it’s truly hell on earth to see the stand go up like that and think that some were too elderly or frail to do anything but sit and burn to death.
I appreciate this is a pretty grim thread, but for all the bad stuff about modern football the measures to improve safety since are something to be thankful for.
That fire was awful, the old couple who for some reason didn't move and just sat there and burnt to death, the old man on fire on the pitch, the section of Bradford supporters dancing and singing whilst everyone was trying to evacuate, the commentating crew who had to stop because of the heat from the opposite stand, the locked fire escape etc etc etc.
Horrendous.
“Hello, I'm your MP. Actually I'm not. I'm your candidate. Gosh.”
Boris Johnson canvassing in Henley, 2005.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 09:33 - May 11 by Lord_Lucan
That fire was awful, the old couple who for some reason didn't move and just sat there and burnt to death, the old man on fire on the pitch, the section of Bradford supporters dancing and singing whilst everyone was trying to evacuate, the commentating crew who had to stop because of the heat from the opposite stand, the locked fire escape etc etc etc.
Horrendous.
People can be overcome with smoke inhalation very quickly. Remember seeing the horrific footage on TV.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 09:33 - May 11 by Lord_Lucan
That fire was awful, the old couple who for some reason didn't move and just sat there and burnt to death, the old man on fire on the pitch, the section of Bradford supporters dancing and singing whilst everyone was trying to evacuate, the commentating crew who had to stop because of the heat from the opposite stand, the locked fire escape etc etc etc.
Horrendous.
I was always told when doing the training that they were basically so old they just gave up and decided to go out together. I have no idea if that's the one bloke's interpretation or an urban myth or comes from Bradford itself.
Either way, it happened when I was weeks old so I remember Snr and the old guard talking about it but never paid it much mind until I saw the footage. I'm not that squeamish but it's always done a number on me.
QPR always makes me uneasy since because that away end feels like a death trap compared to most places.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 09:37 - May 11 by Guthrum
People can be overcome with smoke inhalation very quickly. Remember seeing the horrific footage on TV.
I've had some professional experience with carbon monoxide poisoning in the past - it's a very scary thing that can quite often only be picked up by one particular test on an ABG and easily missed as they quite often come in looking pink, healthy and otherwise well.
I'm one of the people who was blamed for getting Paul Cook sacked. PM for the full post.
We went to the department store to avoid the Newcastle fans who had taken a dislike to us before the game and we watched game from the River End. This same day as a wall collapsed at Birmingham City v Leeds
Will never forget. Was driving through Leeds when R5l came up with the newsflash & then extended live commentary. The horror in the commentator's voice will stay with me forever. He did incredibly well just to keep it together.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 10:15 - May 11 by BlueBadger
I've had some professional experience with carbon monoxide poisoning in the past - it's a very scary thing that can quite often only be picked up by one particular test on an ABG and easily missed as they quite often come in looking pink, healthy and otherwise well.
Friend of mine, former fireman, said the same thing about seeing victims looking healthy, then suddenly keeling over. Tho he put it down to seared lungs, from breathing hot fumes.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 10:15 - May 11 by BlueBadger
I've had some professional experience with carbon monoxide poisoning in the past - it's a very scary thing that can quite often only be picked up by one particular test on an ABG and easily missed as they quite often come in looking pink, healthy and otherwise well.
There's a fairly "famous" post on Reddit about someone who began noticing post it notes in their flat they don't remember being there.
Turns out it was carbon monoxide, as mentioned by one of the comments. Potentially saved their life.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 09:41 - May 11 by Mullet
I was always told when doing the training that they were basically so old they just gave up and decided to go out together. I have no idea if that's the one bloke's interpretation or an urban myth or comes from Bradford itself.
Either way, it happened when I was weeks old so I remember Snr and the old guard talking about it but never paid it much mind until I saw the footage. I'm not that squeamish but it's always done a number on me.
QPR always makes me uneasy since because that away end feels like a death trap compared to most places.
You wouldn't want to be trying to exit the School End in a hurry, but at least it is a concrete stand, not wood so the fire risk should be negligible.
I was one of the very few people to survive prolonged CO exposure back in 1989-91, the consultant anaesthetist who just happened to be treating me for back pain & who eventually twigged it, told me he'd only seen one person so badly poisoned before survive, and she'd been in a coma in the LGI for years.
CO poisoning was little known about in those days (pre student accom & Spanish hol accom CO scandals) and the view was that you either died from it instantly or recovered instantly. I was regularly ambulanced down to A&E, but by the time I'd been lying on a trolley for 4 hours to be seen, my blood levels were of course back to normal (apart from the last occasion when I was displaying classic signs of strokes).
Turned out to be a faulty back boiler in the kitchen/diner I'd just bought + incorrectly installed flue. British Gas, who then attempted to correct the 6 faults in the house, each of which was considered to be potentially lethal by the forensic gas engineer my solicitor brought in, then proceeded to install a further fault of their own - when the French windows were open & even just the pilot light on, CO was being blown back into the room. I was off work & by then it was Italia 90, so I was lying on sofa in that room most of the daytimes.
People should note that supposedly "classic" symptoms are not the only ones you can get. I didn't get any headaches or nausea at all, but did get inability to walk more than 50 yards, hold my hands above my head (couldn't peg washing out), hair & nails stopped growing, slurred speech, mouth dropped down on one side, and "greying out". Be very, very alert(!), don't stint on the CO monitors (one in every room where appliances, incl wood-burning stoves, are fitted), and check/test them regularly.
It's even sad when you think that the stand only needed to survive another 50-60 minutes of football and it would have finished its life as it was going to be demolished with the new materials already at the ground for work to start literally on the Monday after the game.
Sad to think the club had numerous warnings in the years prior to the fire about the litter under the stand that were never followed up by the authorities.
It's also sad that the lay out of the stand was so badly designed and built that made escape near impossible in an emergency for most, particularly the walls at the front of the stand being so high.
But, thankfully, a lot has been learned about stadium designs in the UK following this disaster.
But I also found the Bradford fans celebrating during the fire really odd.
Blaaaardy Heck. Just watched TV coverage of it on youtube. It is amazing how fast it spread. I was going to post the link, but decided not to as it is very seriously caution advised.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 09:54 - May 11 by Guthrum
Yes. Years of rubbish built up underneath the seating caught fire, then spread to the stand itself.
Subsequently they found a charred newspaper from 1968 which gives some indication as to how long the rubbish had built up. Fans also couldn't exit through the normal route as gates were locked. Add in to this the fact the stand roof was covered in bitumen it was a disaster waiting to happen, unfortunately.
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Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 15:32 - May 11 with 1604 views
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 12:20 - May 11 by FifeITFC
It's even sad when you think that the stand only needed to survive another 50-60 minutes of football and it would have finished its life as it was going to be demolished with the new materials already at the ground for work to start literally on the Monday after the game.
Sad to think the club had numerous warnings in the years prior to the fire about the litter under the stand that were never followed up by the authorities.
It's also sad that the lay out of the stand was so badly designed and built that made escape near impossible in an emergency for most, particularly the walls at the front of the stand being so high.
But, thankfully, a lot has been learned about stadium designs in the UK following this disaster.
But I also found the Bradford fans celebrating during the fire really odd.
Didn't know any of the facts in your first 3 paras. Jeez.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 15:32 - May 11 by Ryorry
Didn't know any of the facts in your first 3 paras. Jeez.
Yes, sadly I had a morbid interest in it. Have got the book "Four Minutes To Hell" by Paul Firth (one of the survivors) which was a really good and interesting read.
Also seen various documentaries about it too. Likewise with Hillsborough and Heysel, thankfully much has been learnt about stadia in the UK which is one positive to come out of it.
Bradford are remembering the 56 victims of the fire today on 15:41 - May 11 by FifeITFC
Yes, sadly I had a morbid interest in it. Have got the book "Four Minutes To Hell" by Paul Firth (one of the survivors) which was a really good and interesting read.
Also seen various documentaries about it too. Likewise with Hillsborough and Heysel, thankfully much has been learnt about stadia in the UK which is one positive to come out of it.
This is a BBC documentary from a few years ago:
[Post edited 11 May 2020 15:43]
This documentary was quite interesting about modern stadia built following disasters.
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