Bradford fire anniversary

That's really thoughtful of you to remember that horrendous incident & those affected - well done sir. I doubt this will make national news or news outside of Yorkshire.
I once met the brave Police Officer who was seen on fire on the pitch. Understandably, he was terribly haunted by what happened. His mental scars were just as bad as his physical ones.
Our thoughts go out to everyone involved.
 
I had been to the last game of the season in our promotion year, a 0-0 draw at home to Wrexham. There had been talk of a fire at Valley Parade going round the ground at Bloomfield Rd but not much was know at the time. It was only when I got home after the match and watched the news that I became aware of that terrible incident.
 
Remember hearing this live on the way home on the radio. Pretty sure 5 Live wasn't around in those days so can't imagine which station I would have been listening to? The commentary of it though was haunting.
 
Terrible tragedy. I had recently read Simon Inglis’s brilliant book “Football grounds of England & Wales”. Hearing this sad news, I had to check the Valley Parade entry. He had mentioned the fire hazard of the main stand including the rubbish under the stand.
 
The last time I saw Argyle at Valley Parade I was talking to a Bradford fan in the pub about the monument to the fire outside the ground. He then told me that he was very little & in the stand with his younger brother & Dad. They tried to get out the back but the doors wouldn't open & his Dad managed to push the boys under the turnstile coz they only chuffing operate one way. His Dad couldn't get out & by the time he was rescued had suffered horrific burns & died a year later from complications. I didn't know what to say & it made watching the subsequent match seem meaningless.
A terrible tragedy that the people of Bradford mark respectfully every year.
 
I attended the ceremony in Bradford yesterday and I was moved by the passion and solemnity of the service. It was a terrible tragedy, but has brought the people of Bradford and of Lincoln together in a remarkable way. They say that some good always comes from disasters and in this case the good was the establishment by the University and hospitals of a technologically-advanced burns unit to share and take advantage of the knowledge gained from that shocking day. The football club was represented well at the ceremony by the players and I have to say that the people of that city are some of the friendliest and most helpful I have ever come across. God bless the 56 and their families and my best wishes to the good people of Bradford.


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Aside from the twin towers that was the worst thing I’ve ever witnessed on the tv. Id been in a blazing house fire the year before and had a big fear of fire and it really shook me up. Horrific as it took hold so quickly on that roof. Just how I remember it in the fire.
 
Anyone know how two Lincoln fans got caught up in it, thought the away end was opposite. Did they go to help!
 
I have just watched it again and I am not ashamed to say it still brings me to tears.

I was on my honeymoon not long after and I and a couple of other Brits ended up fighting with a group of Germans who kept laughing at that footage as it was shown on Spanish TV because of the Hysel game with Liverpool which we had gone to a bar in the hotel to watch.
It was on a continuous loop of British fan's hooliganism incidents (how that was included was beyond me) over years previously.
 
Pasty Muncher said:
The last time I saw Argyle at Valley Parade I was talking to a Bradford fan in the pub about the monument to the fire outside the ground. He then told me that he was very little & in the stand with his younger brother & Dad. They tried to get out the back but the doors wouldn't open & his Dad managed to push the boys under the turnstile coz they only chuffing operate one way. His Dad couldn't get out & by the time he was rescued had suffered horrific burns & died a year later from complications. I didn't know what to say & it made watching the subsequent match seem meaningless.
A terrible tragedy that the people of Bradford mark respectfully every year.
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That incident is what triggered the exit gates from now not being locked and unattended during a game and if my memory serves me right they were chained and padlocked also that day.😌
 
It’s hard to believe that those images were shown on tv. Unforgettable for those old enough.
I attended a fire safety course as part of the induction for working on the Channel Tunnel construction. We were shown videos of that tragedy and the Sao Paulo skyscraper tragedy from 1974. The firemen told us it was the best way to make us scared of fire without putting us in one.
I’ll never forget that course.

RIP.
 
It was horrendous to watch, and something we should remember every year, to keep focus on the safety standards needed to keep us safe at Footy, RIP all those who died and were injured.

Those of you who frequented the Scrattin Shed in seating days will remember the rubbish under the stand, there but for the grace of God ......
 
Tangerinemoss said:
It was horrendous to watch, and something we should remember every year, to keep focus on the safety standards needed to keep us safe at Footy, RIP all those who died and were injured.

Those of you who frequented the Scrattin Shed in seating days will remember the rubbish under the stand, there but for the grace of God ......
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I thought it had a concrete floor.
 
I remember it well from my school days. Watched it on telly and couldn’t believe how quickly it all went up in flames. Sad day for football fans. There was some coverage of it tragically unfolding on YouTube but it’s probably been removed by now.
 
I saw the horrific scenes on the TV news after watching Pools last game of the season. I was 13 years old and loved following Blackpool. It was the most shocking thing I had ever seen at that point in my life. Seeing that man stride away from the inferno whilst ablaze was and is heartbreaking. Like others have said, it could have happened at BR or many other grounds. RIP to the 56.
 
Pasty Muncher said:
The last time I saw Argyle at Valley Parade I was talking to a Bradford fan in the pub about the monument to the fire outside the ground. He then told me that he was very little & in the stand with his younger brother & Dad. They tried to get out the back but the doors wouldn't open & his Dad managed to push the boys under the turnstile coz they only chuffing operate one way. His Dad couldn't get out & by the time he was rescued had suffered horrific burns & died a year later from complications. I didn't know what to say & it made watching the subsequent match seem meaningless.
A terrible tragedy that the people of Bradford mark respectfully every year.
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That’s a terribly sad story that PM 🙁
 
Every time I drive through Bradford and see their stadium I think of that day.

We had a similar wooden West Stand that could just have easily gone up in flames.
 
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