**The Bradford City Stadium Tragedy**

[NJFFSA16]

Tactics? Strategy? Command Decisions?

I thought I would take this opportunity to post this dramatic video. Many of you probably have no knowledge of this incident. It occurred on May 11, 1985. I remember watching in absolute horror...as the scene developed.

It is a good example of how things can go really bad...really fast.

Some background on the incident:

The Bradford City disaster took place on Saturday May 11, 1985 when a flash fire occurred at the Valley Parade stadium in Bradford, England. The fire happened during a football match between home team Bradford City and Lincoln City. On that day, Bradford City were celebrating winning the Football League Third Division trophy.

The fire started when a fan disposed of a cigarette into a plastic cup, which fell underneath the stands and into the built-up rubbish that had been accumulating under the stands over the years. The fire started in the 77 year old main stand and quickly spread; when people in the back attempted to escape, they found that the exit doors were locked. Due to its wood and asbestos construction, the stand was completely consumed by flames within minutes. 56 people died and over 200 were injured.

The inquiry into the disaster, the Popplewell Inquiry, led to the introduction of new legislation to increase safety in the UK's football grounds. The video of that day's events is used in fire awareness training for today's sports grounds.

Now...sit back. You can learn something from this tragedy...How fast can fires increase in intensity? IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE!!

Think about how short a timespan THREE minutes is. That is how long this will take to go from first flames...to a scene from hell. The ultimate OH SH*T fire. What would YOU do...upon arrival?

The Bradford City Stadium Fire

[mcaldwell]

Thanks for that link NJ. I have seen many clips and coverage over the years, including an in-depth BBC special of the incident, but that is the best uninterupted footage.

Not only a shining example of the dangers of inoperable exits and unmaintained fire escapes routes, but an amazing example of fire dynamics as well. That is the very definition of rapid fire development, made all the worse by the unprotected overhead roof structure.

The only thing the video does not demonstrate (aside from the one tragic image of the burning man) is what happened to the folks who tried to escape through the locked fire exits. There was a good computer model on one of the specials that simulated that portion very well.

Definitely worth forwarding around to some of our trainers.

[joshball]

Wow, that is good enough reason to do away with all wood grand stands in my opinion

[NJFFSA16]

Yes...56 people died. Many could not escape because the exit gates leading to the street level were chained shut, as I recall. Many people received 2nd and 3rd degree burns attempting to make it field level.

Rapid fire development/progression...possibly the finest example.

[mcaldwell]

Rapid fire development/progression...possibly the finest example.

I would say King's Cross is right up there too. That fire trapped and killed 31 in a subway tunnel. There is some very graphic video out there on that one as well.

[SteveDude]

There are none of the old wooden Stadiums left in the UK now...not for major professional Football clubs where people pay to watch anyway.

For years after Pumps were sent to major Footbal Stadiums to cover matches...not bad if you were a fan, I certainly got to see West Ham play a few times when I was a Sub Officer at Plaistow Fire Station in the mid 90's.

As a result of the Fire the 'Safety of Sports grounds Act 1975 was amended to SAFETY OF SPORTS GROUND ACT 1975 - Fire safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987

Of course things changed again after the 1989 Hillsborough Tragedy in nearby Sheffield where 96 were crushed to death.
Here are some links to the sports ground safety legislation in the UK

[NJFFSA16]

I'm going to check my training material...I believe one of the NFA courses I attended included this incident...and one of the command officers. I will post any pertinent information.

[SteveDude]

I would say King's Cross is right up there too. That fire trapped and killed 31 in a subway tunnel. There is some very graphic video out there on that one as well.

Kings Cross was my first day out of Probie School.... had me thinking WTF??? I was there on the secodn day as a standby Crew, but we didn't get inside, it was all Chiefs and Investigators. Kings Cross was where the 'Trench' phenomenon of rapid fire growth was discovered.

Not forgetting the Ff lost and Kings Cross and the Ff's so badly burned trying to save people at Bradford they never returned to work.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

I'm not as strong as you guys, I don't think I'm quite up to watching a video like that at 6am, so I've just skimmed the posts until later.

Interesting timing on the topic of fast-moving fire though ... I've been debating whether or not to start a thread about the Blueprint for Disaster episode I saw this weekend about the Garley Building fire in Hong Kong. 40 lives were lost, including a firefighter.

[nhravlal]

How do I save that Bradford video to my computer?

[BFDNJFF]

Right click the link and click save

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Wow

That was brutal.

Worse than watching the Garley fire, as that was a recreation, interspersed with real footage. Wasn't pleasant seeing the real footage of the charred bodies on tv, but it doesn't compare at all to seeing that poor man on fire in this video. I just can't believe how FAST the whole place went up! I kept looking at the time and saying OMG less than 3 minutes OMG look at that less than 4 minutes!!

And it was so weird, seeing and hearing the fans singing and dancing like that as the place burned down!

[backsteprescue123]

Thanks for the link.

[DCFDCAR5]

Hold the units from 33, return the rest.
But seriously, WOW. Never saw that video before.

[SteveDude]

Jobs like this are always a nightmare....what can you do as first arriving officer? Despite the obvious horror of the people involved and the frantic attempts at Rescue made by the Brothers up in Yorkshire back in '85. It just like pulling up at a large warehouse that is going from end to end....the Crews have to make a start....securing a water supply, covering the exposures, attempting rescues... but there isn't a great deal more any first arriving attendance can do with such a large body of fire. Can you imagine the pandamonium out in the street? I spoke to someone from that brigade at the Fire Service College years ago who remembered the job....he said people in the street were jumping all over the Crews as they arrived, naturally expecting a couple of Fire Engines with maybe 10 Firemen to perform a miracle.

The OIC has to gather information, request the neccesary back up (Don't quote me, I think this went to a 15 or 20 Pump job with a few aerials)... but by the time they got all those resources on scene, at the rate it spread the fire was already in its decay stage and all of those trapped behind the stand en-route to the exits had long been dead.

If the same happened tomorrow, despite newer technology and so on...we'd still be in exactly the same boat? In these cases it is only legislation... fire resistant meterials, sufficient exits, proper stewarding.. and passive Fire Detection/Protection that can stop something like this happening again.