From Joy to Disaster : The Bradford City Fire

[@angharaddenby3389]

I was at that game. I was in the stand opposite. Could feel the heat from there. Sad day which I can never forget.

[@capndallas4918]

This happened in the 80s mate

[@airfighter0013]

@@capndallas4918 Are people not allowed to be 50+ years old and posting comments on KZbin?

[@DalokiMauvais]

@@airfighter0013 No kidding!! I'm just shy of 74.

[@paradiselost9946]

sounds like you joined the side that chose to "get the hell out of there" rather than the team that chose to "hang around and wave for the cameras"...

[@2010LeeG]

@@capndallas4918 Weird comment, he didn't say he's seen dinosaurs.

[@DalokiMauvais]

I can't believe that so many people who escaped onto the pitch were grinning and celebrating as if dancing around some sort of bonfire.

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, I could never understand that. Even if you accept that they might not know that people are getting killed, to see part of your own football club's stadium burnt down isn't anything to be celebrated. But football in the 1980's was a strange period. Thanks for watching.

[@PsychicPsal1742]

​@@Yumbutteredsausage stupid comment. Grow up.

[@ryanhull2523]

​@@Yumbutteredsausagebecause they are stupid

[@synthclassic6304]

Those celebrations seem super strange now, but I can understand a little of that. I suppose the excitement of winning the third division and witnessing such a tremendous event unfold got the better of their minds. Also, that part of the stadium was scheduled to be torn down anyway, so the fans weren't losing anything. They certainly didn't realize anyone was dying

[@Roddy556]

​@@synthclassic6304I'm not a sports guy so I can't really wrap my head around it. Even if I was celebrating the most important event in my life that would stop if I witnessed something like this.

[@benwherlock9869]

I remember the 1980s feeling so new and modern, but looking back it really was the dark ages. Bradford City, Heysel and Hillsborough were a nightmare

[@Downwithlibtards]

No, the 80s were awesome. Now sucks!

[@TR4R]

I guess old wooden structures took a while to be replaced by concrete and all roofs to be made of zinc, fiberglass or other non flammable materials. People were more naive to many things than today.

[@retrorampage484]

Watched it on the TV when I was a young kid. Will never forget the horror of the man of fire and the policeman trying to douse the flames with his coat.

[@tommcglone2867]

My dad was at a Man City match at Maine Road on this day. My grandmother saw the footage of this on the news and only heard the word 'city'. She absolutely freaked out only to see my dad return home to her bewilderment.

[@johnbower7452]

Had to watch a replay of this in fire marshal training; still very hard to watch all these years later.

[@patthewoodboy]

me too

[@juliebaxter3564]

@@patthewoodboy Me too. I was on a bus watching this happen.

[@Ozvideo1959]

This tragedy was shown on TV here in Australia, to everybody's horror. Shortly afterwards, the fire departments in Melbourne did a safety audit of many of the VFL team's home grounds. They were all found to be similar to Bradford, wooden stands, not enough exits, etc. As a result, pretty much all grounds, except for the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and VFL Park were issued with rectification notices. Most clubs didn't have the funds to make their stadiums comply with safety audits. As a result, those stadiums are no longer used for AFL games. Most teams elected to share the grounds that were deemed safe, namely MCG and VFL park. Most of those old stadiums have either been redeveloped, and used as training grounds.

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, this tragedy helped to improve safety worldwide. But such a shame it had to happen before people took safety seriously. People complain about health and safety regulations but they are there for a reason.

[@shaundgb7367]

I was at Princes Park at a Carlton game when one of the hot food vans in the terraces caught on fire in the 1980's. I think it was put out within minutes but still not good to see fire flames in the outer. It probably on some youtube video somewhere in the background as match was on. Over a decade later I was at the MCG on a Friday night and heard a big bang up in the larger Ponsford Stand where electronic scoreboard was. Within minutes it was on fire so we all evacuated on to the oval. Thankfully what happened at Bradford never happened here but with 25,000 to 30,000 crowds in some of the older suburban grounds it was probably possible in same era it happened in England. I think the old Junction Oval might have had an old wooden stand like the one shown on this video at Bradford. That was probably 1984 when I went to that Junction Oval match. Fifty six lives lost is horrible to hear because in the video I would have assumed most got out.

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@shaundgb7367 To be honest, most of the suburban grounds had abysmal facilities. I remember as a kid my dad took us to Victoria Park and I remember the men's toilets floors were an inch deep in urine, there were only a few rows of seats for general admission, it cost extra to sit in the grandstand. Add to that, there was pretty much no parking at the ground. Locals used to lease out their front yards or driveways on Saturdays for parking. Footy fans are way better off today.

[@shaundgb7367]

@Boxing4K Facilities have made it way more comfortable and safe. The experience is less interesting to go with it. Glad I got to experience what it was like as a sport before it became all business industry run. Went to Victoria Park once. It was the worst in terms of facilities.

[@Ozvideo1959]

@@shaundgb7367 I'd been to Princess Park, not bad except for the lack of seating. Glenferrie Oval was shocking. Moorabbin wasn't too bad. I never went to the Western Oval or Arden Street, but I imagine they were pretty bad too. It's funny that in Sydney they didn't have too many problems with their Rugby League grounds, they had the money to maintain them, mostly from pokies. If gambling had been legal in Victoria back then we might have had a few more grounds survive. Still, the stadiums we have are pretty good.

[@m3talentagency680]

There were no fire extinguishers because the fans used to steal them.

[@josephtalmadge3108]

Seriously? Unreal

[@bryemycaz]

@@josephtalmadge3108 Yes they would set them off during games, especially if the opposition crowd started to taunt them.

[@Thirdfish]

RIP THE 56.

[@boblordylordyhowie]

That was a year after I was burned in a gas explosion and when that man ran from the stadium my girlfriend said that was what I looked like after it blew up. I was treated at Pinderfields by Dr John Settle, one of the plastic surgeons involved in the Bradford stadium disaster.

[@Master-Disaster]

Hope you fully recovered

[@Z0RDR4CK]

Still the stadium disaster in which I have the least understanding of why so many people had to lose their lives. From ignorance to pure selfishness to complete incompetence. Lives wiped out, absolutely pointless! Rest in Peace 56

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, looking back all the failings were so bloody obvious - a complete and utter tragic waste of life.

[@adamlea6339]

People don't like expending time, effort and money in addressing issues that might cause a tragedy in the future, so they try to get away with not bothering (there is a parallel with anthropogenic climate change and unsustainable living here). It works 99 times out of 100, this was the 100th time.

[@MagicBirdieDust]

Reminds me of The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island. 100 people lost their lives in that disaster.

[@MJ-YT-USR]

Football does something very weird and disturbing to some people. Mind you, I also remember seeing some people acting like idiots during news coverage of the Grenfell tower fire, acting like it was a celebration or something.

[@malcolmbramhall5382]

Me and my wife got married that day. So every anniversary we remember this. We didn't know about it till the next day on honeymoon and spent the day stunned watching the news. 😢

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

6:35 imagine if a fence like that was in place. Hundreds burning to death on live TV. It would be one of the most well-know disasters in world history.

[@Master-Disaster]

Doesn't bear thinking about does it.

[@ianbennett1491]

I was at the Birmingham V Leeds United game on the same day.My brother,at that time visited friends in Bradford on a regular basis and was at this game but in the stand opposite.It was horrific. No mobile phones in them days .I heard about the fire and deaths at Birmingham supporting Leeds.I was beside myself with worry because i didn't know where in Valley Parade my brother was.Luckily he was ok. RIP the 56.😢😢

[@thephilpott2194]

The BBC footage wasn't edited, it was broadcast liveand in full.. the man was in flames from head to foot, walking slowly on autopilot until the police tackled him down and threw coats over him. You're pretty tough at 15 yoa, but i remember that very vividly. Horrendous.

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, I believe the footage wasn’t quite live, but they took it by courier to the studio quickly, but didn’t review it before they screened it which was a mistake IMO.

[@crazycouter]

We as a family were watching this live when my kids were young and could believe what we seeing live on the TV ,, I turned off the TV as I did not want my kids to see such a terrible thing of people burning alive, I remember this as if it was yesterday, Sad Sad day for all to have been there on that day.

[@peterbrownless]

My memory is that this game was live on the television. The cameraman seemed to lose his attention to the game briefly and then focused onto the fire. Then the terrible tragedy unfolded.

[@mrgobrien]

it was on itv live (world of sport) not bbc (grandstand) - and yes the man completely on fire ran across the pitch - dreadful.

[@thephilpott2194]

@@mrgobrien We only had 3 or 4 channels then, trust me to get it wrong! I can still hear the commentator saying 'Oh, the poor man' as if it were last week..

[@susanadams736]

I was at a Cricket Match with my Husband about 6 miles away, we were quite high up and saw the smoke bellowing out of the stand. We put the radio on and heard the match reporters footage of what was happening, he actually cried and was shook up... So sad 😢

[@1258-Eckhart]

Very well compiled and explained. I think it's very useful to keep such disasters in people's consciousnesses, so that we don't become too blasé about safety risks.

[@Master-Disaster]

That's why I do this channel - to remind people why safety is important. Thanks for watching.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Rest In Peace. Unbearably horrid, horrid disaster. My thoughts to all who were there that terrible day, for those who saw those flames and felt the heat and could do nothing but watch and weep. To all such survivers of these tragedies... I grieve with thee.

[@janetd443]

These stories always start this way, the structure was coated in a very flammable substance. Similar to the Hartford, CT circus fire, for example.

[@bigsarge8795]

That fire was just horrible all around

[@PSpringfield]

Yes, I thought of that too!

[@ursuss100]

The Hartford Circus fire was already horrible enough with 167 dead and 700+ injuries...but to know that a similar circus fire 20 years later in Brazil (the Niteroi) caused more than triple that number of fatalities (503 dead...and 800+ injuries)... is just mind boggling. And when I say similar, it was to the point that: -both fires were claimed to have been arson attacks but the cause was never really known for sure, while there were testimonies of various covered-up malfunctions in the circuses; -the Niteroi circus had just set up a new tent that they had bought from India; it was advertised as made of nylon, but just like the Hartford tent, was in fact cotton canvas treated with paraffin wax... :/

[@joshp3994]

It's hard to know people died when it seems escaping to the pitch was such a fast and easy route of escape.

[@vs52217]

Did you see there were two 5' walls they had to climb over?

[@adamlea6339]

Once fires get to a certain point they grow exponentially, some of the fans simply wouldn't have had time to get onto the pitch before being overwhelmed by heat and smoke.

[@mrgobrien]

it was mainly the very old and the very young (who couldn't do the described "assault course" onto the pitch) who died - kids under 10 and people over 70 etc - the were some awful tales of some old people just giving up and telling very kids that they'd brought to the game to just run down onto the pitch and save themselves - others ran to the back but it was locked (like the video said) and the fire then spread really quick - it only took about 90 seconds to 2 minutes or so engulf the entire stand once people realised it couldn't be put out and started fleeing - this video doesn't really show that.

[@tonyarmbrust]

At the time this happened, I was a senior in college, who was spending my last quarter in school as an intern at a small TV station in the state of Washington. I was horrified when this came down on the newsfeed. The tragedy did make it on the network news in the US. There was no stadium comparable in the US. Most of the stadiums in the US at the time were "concrete donuts", multipurpose venues made of steel and reinforced concrete. Baseball stadiums stopped using wood as their primary building material in the 1900s, due to several fires. Just absolutely haunting, and tragic event.

[@justonecornetto80]

The attitude of many football club directors back in the day was one of total indifference when it came to fan safety. It's not like they didn't have any previous tragedies as examples of what could go wrong. 14 years before the Bradford fire, 66 fans were crushed to death at Ibrox stadium in Glasgow. The cause was determined to be a complete lack of crowd control on an entrance stairwell. A similar thing happened at Burnden Park, Bolton in 1946 when 33 people were trampled to death. Less than 3 weeks after the Bradford fire, 39 Juventus fans were killed when a wall collapsed on them at the crumbling Heysel stadium in Brussels during the European Cup final. The cause was later found to be in part due to the head of the Belgian FA selling tickets to Juventus fans that put them in the same stand as Liverpool fans knowing full well that it would almost certainly result in them being attacked. The powers that be finally got the message after the Hillsborough disaster when 97 fans were killed and club directors were forced under threat of prosecution to bring their stadiums up to modern safety standards.

[@nomenclature9373]

I was working part time at a satellite center while in college. Slow day, not much signal routing scheduled, and was writing a voice over on another story for my class journalism project when it happened. Immediately began recording and routed it to local TV stations who used the center. Then edited a package for my journalism project.

[@karl-unoisaksson4000]

When I was a kid in the -70's I remember going to all the games in Dackehallen, Tingsryd, South Sweden... After the game, all of us kids climbed under the Grandstands looking for hockeypucks, coins and everything else dropped during the game... It was NEVER cleaned, I actually remember that we were wading (is that the english word? Like walking in water...) in torn programs, papers, plastic cups and so on - piled up for a decade!!! We never thought about it then, but nowadays I realize we were just a dropped cigarettbut in the wrong place at the worst time from a disaster...

[@Master-Disaster]

Yep, seems so obvious nowadays. That’s why I get annoyed when people set off pyros in grounds.

[@karl-unoisaksson4000]

@@Master-Disaster Hear, Hear!!! Pyros has it place in the parking lot BEFORE the game to boost the fans endorfines, and for the party itself - NEVER in the closed ARENA carrying thousands of people... Love from Sweden 💖

[@DestroyTeamAvolition]

We had the Stardust fire in Ireland 4 years before. As soon as I saw the footage I knew dozens were dying.

[@dwaynedibley997]

How comes I have to hear about hillsborough every year and I’m 35 now and never heard about this?

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, such a shame that this tragedy isn't remembered more. Next year is the 40th anniversary, and I hope it is remembered in all football grounds on that anniversary.

[@steve-kl9iv]

Then you mustn't be paying attention. It gets mentioned every year

[@dwaynedibley997]

@@steve-kl9iv maybe if your a Bradford fan or from Yorkshire , but I have never heard of this and I have had hillsborough shoved down my throat since I can remember. Maybe because Liverpool are a big club and no one knows Bradford

[@steve-kl9iv]

@@dwaynedibley997 maybe you just want to have a go at Liverpool and are using the Bradford fire as banter.

[@dwaynedibley997]

@@steve-kl9iv strange take, I thought I was having more of a go at Bradford for being a small club

[@michaeledwards427]

Absolutely horric thing to happen. I still paused it to look at the names of the dead on the memorial which is a tale of a tragedy in itself. I counted what must be 2 sets of either fathers or uncles that took 2 young lads each. As well as other same surname deaths. Truly horrible. RIP to all.

[@ricwilki6254]

The forgotten football disaster. 😔

[@synthclassic6304]

Ya, I've known about this myself, but compared to Hillsborough, it feels as if this never happened

[@dwaynedibley997]

Yeh I was thinking the same thing . Hillsborough is shoved down out throats every year and yet I have never heard about this fire

[@brigidsingleton1596]

​@@dwaynedibley997 I am not a football fan, but I had attended a game once (with another girl, from my class at school) so I did occasionally watch the news about certain matches... I knew of this horror (and Heysel - sorry if misspelt - and Hillsborough)... 56 died in horrendous circumstances and 97 in Hillsborough. (I forget what happened at the foreign game, sorry, just the name sounds familiar) It took far too many years for the Hillsborough families to receive any compensation _and their lost loved ones reputations restored after being falsely blamed by the police_ ( _Duckenfield_ in particular). I have not heard what trials and tribulations the families of the lost 56 of this Bradford Stadium fire went through regarding any similar stresses of compensation etc, but just here in this video, nothing seems to have been lain at the feet of the club, or others in charge of whatever meager fire safety precautions were in place, and general maintenance of the stands and grounds. Maybe the fact that I may be older than you is why I remember the fire there... Maybe the YT videos have just boosted my memory... I don't know which is more likely, but the latter seems most likely as, I said earlier, I am not a footy fan per se. Hopefully those days and tragedies will never be repeated. Rest In Peace all who suffered and died in all of these harrowing tragedies, and thoughts to those there who survived, either by managing to escape before the flames took hold, and spread so swiftly, and to those opposite who had to witness the incident but not able to help. I grieve with thee.

[@aaizaasghar3000]

@@dwaynedibley997SAME! makes me so annoyed I never heard this to

[@tdurb0]

Can someone explain why the fk naming someone as the ‘probable person who accidentally started the fire’ is in the public’s interest? Who gains from that?

[@Master-Disaster]

He was named by the police in a BBC documentary. I have a suspicion this was to try to stop the rumours about arson by the owner, a rumour which was ridiculous in my opinion. Thanks for watching.

[@tdurb0]

@@Master-Disaster Sorry mate if I didn’t make myself clear, I wasn’t saying YOU shouldn’t have said it, just those at the time. I know the chairman was quite the part-time arsonist. It’s a great upload thank you 👍🏻👏🏻

[@Master-Disaster]

@@tdurb0 No problem.

[@jackchapo2011]

​@@tdurb0still, it does not need to be reinforced. Leave the poor bloke alone.

[@MattMajcan]

it just makes people feel better when they feel like they can blame someone or something when things go wrong. whenever theres a disaster the first thing anyone wants to know is who was responsible for it. when there's nothing or no one to blame it makes people scared and uncomfortable, like it could happen again, maybe to them. but if someone's responsible then the problem can be resolved. its an interesting debate for sure, in my hometown of chicago a guy accidentally interfered in play once and pssibly caused the home team to lose and end their season... he was a huge fan and it was obviously an accident but he still had his entire life ruined by people blaming him and being angry at him.

[@iwright621]

I remember getting off my bus home and seeing smoke in the distant city centre .

[@andrewtaylor5984]

I recall reading in the papers a day or so later, that the Fire Brigade found a newspaper dating from 1968 in the stands. It was a great pity that smoking was allowed; it was eventually banned in enclosed spaces in 2007, but the club could have banned smoking in the ground years before the fire. There have been countless lives lost caused by dropped cigarettes and matches.

[@sharonhopton]

A big thank you to the people who risked their lives to save others ❤️They are the real heroes! ❤️❤️❤️

[@123boat]

I was at Huddersfield fc watching Portsmouth play them. Roughly about 10 miles in a straight line. Didn’t hear about this until we arrived back on the south coast. Can’t believe we didn’t see the smoke. A very very sad day for everyone involved

[@Master-Disaster]

I'm a fellow Pompey fan, and was listening to the radio commentary as the news started to filter through. A very sad day.

[@Rob_Dekker]

Great video on a very sad disaster. Those names on the wall brought tears to my eyes.

[@Master-Disaster]

Thanks for watching

[@DigitalDiabloUK]

Can you imagine if there were pitch side fences? As frustrating as pitch invasions are, at least having an escape path onto the pitch provides an extra layer of safety.

[@chazzlebazzle69]

I wouldn't be naming anyone

[@Master-Disaster]

I think the police named the person because there were all sorts of rumours about the owner and arson.

[@effortlessGFX]

So because there was rumours their solution was to start a man hunt on 1 guy? Seems harsh.

[@Compo1976]

The owner had a unusual relationship with fires... Alot of his businesses went up in flames somewhere along the line... If my memory serves me correctly. Obviously rip to people who lost lives x

[@geoffreylee5199]

There is a video of this from the start. Overwhelming watch.

[@gaznightrain4454]

The narrator makes this sound like a children’s story

[@Master-Disaster]

👎

[@Gfysimpletons]

Like a Thomas train episode! 👍🏻

[@aneng64]

I think the tone of the narration is at odds with the subject matter. It sounds like he's reading a children's story.

[@Master-Disaster]

Guess I can't please everyone. Most others disagree.

[@madwhitehare3635]

@@Master-Disaster...do you not have ears?

[@cityzens634]

@@Master-DisasterIt’s actually a very poor style of narration for such a terrible tragedy. You should take that on board and not deny it and hopefully improve

[@Perseusgorgonslayer]

@@madwhitehare3635 - I agree with you. This master disaster guy comes across as either arrogant or tone deaf.

[@AndrewJamesWilliams]

I remember watching this on tv. I was only a small boy at the time.

[@timparker2985]

The Military arriving for duty tours in the Falklands used to be shown footage of the Bradford City fire. This was because all the accommodation blocks were timber, and it was to demonstrate just how quickly fire could spread. RIP to those 56 souls.

[@Master-Disaster]

I believe stuff like this should be taught in schools, to show how all that ‘elf n safety crap’ is actually necessary. Thanks for watching.

[@cedarcam]

They were going to show motor racing and I had my video recorder on. 'And now over to Bradford where there is a fire in the stand' I went to call my Mom and by then it was well alight. We could not believe how quickly it had spread. One shown whose hair caught fire was a customer in a shop I knew, he survived badly burnt, there was someone sat in the stand engulfed in flames an image I always remember. I am so glad it was not like other stadiums with high fencing to stop pitch invasions. I used to go to BRISCA F1 stock car racing at Odsal stadim in Bradford and never liked the idea of being fenced in even though that stand was not a wooden one.

[@Master-Disaster]

It doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened if there were fences. Virtually all grounds had them back in those days. At Fratton Park, Portsmouth, we even had a dry moat to prevent people getting onto the pitch.

[@royjeffs6538]

They showed this video when we had fire/safety officer training at Royal Mail, so many things that went wrong

[@paulblades7741]

I remember this liked it was yesterday, people were dying in front of your eyes it was TRULY HORRIFIC.

[@09weenic]

Dark dark day for football 😢

[@NickandFreddie]

Was there, I don’t think people should be named, apart from the 54 city fans, and the 2 Lincoln fans

[@Master-Disaster]

Must have been really traumatic for you.

[@jackchapo2011]

​@Master-Disaster and that's your response?

[@Master-Disaster]

@@jackchapo2011 I have put fuller responses in numerous places in the comments. Like this one I put earlier today: "I believe that the police named the individual to stop the rumours about the owner of the club and arson. Businesses owned by the owner had an unusually high number of fires, and there were conspiracy theories that the fire was started deliberately, but I believe this was a conspiracy theory too far. By naming the individual, the police hoped to stop those scurrilous rumours. The gentleman named was no longer alive when his name became public - I suspect ths was the reason he wasn't named for some years after the accident, to avoid any embarrassment and guilt for him, which must have been awful. There was also a BBC documentary on the accident where the individual was named, which is where I obtaiined my information from. So if it is ok for the BBC, a very proper broadcasting organisation, I felt on balance it was also ok for me to name him. I would not have done so if he had still been alive, which I think makes a big difference." I can't put lengthy responses after every comment.

[@jackchapo2011]

Well... no. I just cannot be bothered. I will leave you to sensationalise your next video. Bye.

[@NickandFreddie]

@@Master-Disaster don’t listen to hate pal, my comment wasn’t a dig, just my opinion! I’m sure your intentions are good 👍✌️

[@XBOXShawn12thman]

WOW 😳 ..... R.I.P. 😥

[@karlbracey4969]

Millwall fan here so sorry about the fire R.I.P

[@jamiew1664]

i hear ya karl bro, coventry fan here. This was one of the worst days for english football ever.

[@jamiew1664]

millwall have always been a tough team, with tough fans.... but id like to think karl, that if this shit happened at at a game we were playing each other, that we would all help each other out, what ever teams were involved. people are people, and love is love.

[@sicks6six]

when I did my offshore oil rig fire fighting training we were shown security camera videos from inside that stand, the public has never seen those videos, people who stood still waiting to be saved burst into flames where they stood, literally self exploded with the heat, the cops at first were pushing people back into the stand thinking it was a pitch invasion and that caused people to surge back up to the top of the stand and try and get out the gates at the back which were locked and that's were most died, the whole thing could have been avoided and the cops made it worse,

[@d.l.l.6578]

You simply cannot fix stupid. If I saw a fire like that, I’d be running out so fast you wouldn’t see the smoke behind me.

[@mrgobrien]

most of the dead fled out the back (to leave the same way they had come in) - but it was now locked - and the fire then spread so fast that they were then trapped in that narrow channel area that exists between the exit gate to the street and the grandstand in a sports stadium - so it wasn't really stupidity.

[@d.l.l.6578]

@@mrgobrien why were they dancing in front of the cameras when a fire clearly raged behind them?

[@mrgobrien]

@@d.l.l.6578 their team had won the league that day - they didn't know there were people dying (mainly at the back of the grandstand) - i was watched on tv and thought that only 1 or 2 people were dead and that was only after about 15 minutes of watching - nobody could see what was happening at the back - i thought everyone had fled to the front onto the pitch.

[@mrgobrien]

also - i think the ground was due to be replaced so the fans didn't think it mattered if it burned down then (it was the last day of the season).

[@ItsAustinMore-vy2sj]

How did the fire department get fined?! They saved 1000s of people

[@Master-Disaster]

They didn't get fined, but were jointly sued by victims due to the deficiencies in following up what they had previously found. Also, it was the police, not fire brigade, that helped rescue people. By the time the fire brigade turned up it was too late.

[@SquatCobbler-Cry]

Its crazy the one guy caught fire yards away from any flames...thats hot.

[@adamlea6339]

It is similar to a flashover where a fire in a restricted space grows to the point where the radiant heat heats the contents to the ignition temperature.

[@SquatCobbler-Cry]

@@adamlea6339 interesting, I'll have to read more about that, thanks.

[@mrgobrien]

yes - after the grenfell fire (google that) i heard a firefighter say that humans can spontaneously combust just by being near a fire sometimes - i've certainly seen houses catch fire without direct contact with another nearby fire - i think most people think a fire has to actually touch something in order to spread to it.

[@jackchapo2011]

I think it is poor form to be naming people. You will respond with oh 'police, fire etc, admitted it was a genuine accident but, that makes the continuity even more unjust. Leave it alone.

[@Master-Disaster]

I believe that the police named the individual to stop the rumours about the owner of the club and arson. Businesses owned by the owner had an unusually high number of fires, and there were conspiracy theories that the fire was started deliberately, but I believe this was a conspiracy theory too far. By naming the individual, the police hoped to stop those scurrilous rumours. The gentleman named was no longer alive when his name became public - I suspect ths was the reason he wasn't named for some years after the accident, to avoid any embarrassment and guilt for him, which must have been awful. There was also a BBC documentary on the accident where the individual was named, which is where I obtaiined my information from. So if it is ok for the BBC, a very proper broadcasting organisation, I felt on balance it was also ok for me to name him. I would not have done so if he had still been alive, which I think makes a big difference.

[@jackchapo2011]

Probably fair as none of his family are alive are they?

[@Andrew-j9p2d]

Smoking can kill😢

[@adamlea6339]

This disaster is very similar to the Kings Cross fire which happened a couple of years later, same cause.

[@andrewsaxton2421]

Heard the fir engines drive past on this day….

[@erictaylor5462]

What is the point of naming the person who started the fire? He was not really responsible for what happened, Smoking was allowed in the area even though they knew about the hazard. They had been told to clean up the mess down there but that never happened. Put this on the smoker is just not fair.

[@Master-Disaster]

It wasn't intended to put the blame on the smoker - the owners were fully responsible for this tragedy. But there were rumours about arson and the owners, so naming the individual was an attempt to put a stop to those scurrilous rumours. The individual concerned wasn't named by police for some time, and only after he had passed away years later.

[@Fluttergirl]

Why did they use the correct monetary terms, but showed a video of United States currency on the scale?

[@Master-Disaster]

It’s the only video clip I could find! Thanks for watching.

[@glashoppah]

They just wanted to make sure folks knew they were talking about real money.

[@andrewbrown6786]

Just be grateful that the Emergency Services Video is not for public consumption! That IS something to avoid at any cost 😮

[@Master-Disaster]

I've never seen that - must be horrific.

[@stereolababy]

its good to know there were clowns dancing for the camera during a panic even 40 years ago

[@kristenhurst683]

There's something to be said for watching games at home.

[@josephtalmadge3108]

I can't believe people were actually chearing 😢

[@58nunzi]

A disaster waiting to happen. Negligence by the owners. They should be in prison.

[@NotNearMint]

Why don’t engineers BEGIN with thinking all the horrible things that can happen BEFORE building, especially after this!?? Oh yeah, “business favors profit over people.”

[@Master-Disaster]

Part of the problem is that the stand was an old stand, and was only ever have meant to have been temporary, but ended up being there for decades.

[@NotNearMint]

@@Master-Disaster second I heard “made of wood with a highly flammable felt roof, with steel construction to replace it the following year,” I knew exactly how this story would end.

[@neilsmith5762]

I did not watch the video as I have what happened in my brain, a bit like the young girl running along a road after a napalm attack by the USA on a Vietnamese village. RIP to those that died and I hope time has healed those that survived.

[@Master-Disaster]

I can understand that - the full video is a tough watch, and I cut out some bits which were too graphic. But the full video should be shown more widely IMO, to inform people on the dangers of fires - perhaps football fans would be less cavalier with the use of pyros at games if they saw the full horror of what happened here.

[@tomlangley6236]

Remember Kids.......Stop drop and roll!

[@baneblackguard584]

I don't understand, everyone in those stands were mere feet from the field, are there so many people that are literally incapable of flopping over a 5 foot wall? if that's true, that is unbelievable.

[@Master-Disaster]

You have to remember that many fans who attend matches, especially those sitting in the stands back in the 80s when most fans stood on terraces, were elderly and less mobile than many other fans. Plus trying to get out of a packed stand can take some time, even nowadays with better evacuation routes.

[@baneblackguard584]

@@Master-Disaster I don't care if could barely walk, had a hernia, and was recovering from a triple bypass... if the choices were letting my chestnuts roast over an open fire or finding a way to jabba the hutt my ass over the wall, I'd get over that wall.

[@pwimbledon]

It went up in 4 minutes. If you made the decision to head backwards, towards the gates (the way you came in), there was no turning back. The smoke would have got you within seconds.

[@PSpringfield]

when you leave any event where all the seats are filled, you have to file out of your row--stuck behind people, then file down the stairs. In this scenario, you think ok I will just climb over the seats and get out. But everybody is doing the same thing, in a panic, tripping over each other and still getting stuck behind other people. So they never had the opportunity to get close enough to flop over the 5ft wall

[@mrgobrien]

it was mainly the very young and very old who died - only certain people could flee the way you say.

[@karl-unoisaksson4000]

Remember this... Horrible... Love from Sweden 💖

[@michaeljohnson5365]

I have this on a video at home called the British Pathe vhs from 1985

[@susanwahl6322]

If you get the chance, watch the tv version.

[@Master-Disaster]

Yes, I used some clips from that in this video, but I couldn't use too much due to copyright issues. But the commentary is really good in the TV footage - must have been traumatic for the commentator. I believe they rushed the TV footage from the ground to the TV studios, and they played it live just after the game without anybody checking it - which in hindsight was a mistake because nobody knew at that time who had been killed or hurt.

[@mountainman5173]

Why do people have to die before changes are made? I mean... they were warned well ahead of time that this was a death trap, yet nothing was done until AFTER 56 souls shed their mortal coils. So sad.

[@PSpringfield]

Plenty of nightclubs and venues operating today that are potential deathtraps. There are certification regulations for aircraft, where proof is necessary that all passengers can be evacuated in a certain number of minutes. There should be similar regulations for public venues.

[@mountainman5173]

@@PSpringfield Totally agree.

[@richardhawkins4621]

Thats why all new staduims are made of concrete sad day for bradford😢

[@BlackRose-vi2yg]

The thick idiots jumping and smiling at the camera. However, apart from that such a sad tragic event

[@ronbo30]

Everyone is reactive not proactive. But then it’s to late!

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

This guy (or is it AI?) talks like he's discussing painting a shed.

[@Master-Disaster]

No, not AI! I got told I was too cheerful on previous videos, given the subject matter, so I've tried to tone down my expression a touch as a result, but I've been getting pelters on my voice in this video. Just goes to show I can't win.

[@sj460162]

Live footage wouldve made this more poqwrful bud

[@Master-Disaster]

I tried, but copyright blocked the upload. I included as much footage and material as I could. But thanks for watching.

[@masere]

I remember seeing it on the news the day it happened, there was someone on fire, I think a police officer, or it could have been the man in this video, and the commentator said "oh the poor man."

[@Master-Disaster]

@@masereThat was the poor man who was on fire and died. I wish I could have used some of the actual commentary but it is copyright. Must have been difficult for the commentator but he did a thoroughly professional job. You can still find the full video and commentary on KZbin if you look.

[@anb7408]

All thanks to someone trying to put out a lit cigarette that fell through to the trashpile below. I wonder if any of the idiots jumping/dancing around while people were burning to death, showed any remorse later on when they figured out what had happened.

[@danthomsett6615]

I'd imagine they almost certainly did. Those 'idiots' were in celebratory mood because their team had won the title, & clearly had no idea about the tragic deaths. I remember watching this unfold on live television, & wrongly assumed that everybody had escaped safely onto the pitch. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that those on the pitch thought the same.

[@nafvol5053]

Well done for not showing the full video of the burning man, i remember seeing it on TV at the time, it was horrible

[@LeeMason-b4r]

Should always make sure the cigarette end is always out

[@michaeljohnson5365]

Most of the dead where at the back of the stand

[@Rapidcat590]

YNWA #56!

[@erictaylor5462]

I was 15 when this happened, and I remember it well. And I'm American. This is also how I learned that "Pointless football" AKA soccer was just called "football" over most of the world. If you think "Pointless football" is disrespectful or rude, picture an American football. Now picture a soccer ball. Now do you see why I call it "pointless football?

[@redswingline262]

The piano is completely unnecessary

[@Master-Disaster]

I've tried videos with and without music, and the general consensus has been that my viewers prefer music. I try to select music that fits the mood of my videos - so nothing upbeat. You can't please everybody all of the time! But thanks for watching.

[@Bella-zt6jw]

😢

[@wendysw714]

💔

[@madwhitehare3635]

The narration was a little too cheerful for me to cope with.

[@Master-Disaster]

Difficult trying to get the balance right between expression, and a sombre tone that often sounds a bit monotone.

[@teamidris]

It must have had a lot of lit cigarettes dropped through through the floor boards over its life. So the rubbish was the culprit? (It being plastic rather than paper)

[@Master-Disaster]

All sorts of rubbish. But like all disasters, it is a combination of factors that come together at once that makes such a shitshow. Thanks for watching.

[@keithdavison2960]

Must be Plainly difficults brother lol does sound like your reading a Thomas the tank or a trumpton book to kids

[@Master-Disaster]

If you saw me you would probably compare me to the Fat Controller......

[@glashoppah]

Yeh but did they have a loisense for dat fire bruv?

[@Master-Disaster]

Thanks for watching

[@jayjayceltic431]

God rest them. Sad

[@davidsaxon8660]

Remember the 56 from coyi

[@Omar-qm5sf]

What pains me about seeing this tragedy is that there is hardly any recognition of it. But we are forever pummeled about Liverpool's 96.

[@mrgobrien]

because hillsborough had a cover up scandal.

[@thebob3712]

How convenient that a stand about to be demolished burns down a week earlier, did the owners make an insurance claim? Typical of the poms to blame an Aussie for it, haha

[@Master-Disaster]

The thought that somebody would deliberately set fire to the stand with people in it is a conspiracy theory too far IMO.

[@semperfidelis8386]

how did people die...what, they didn't SEE the fire??

[@Master-Disaster]

People tried to get out the back but the turnstiles were locked. And people had to climb over 2 5ft walls to get onto the pitch. Not enough thought went into quick evacuation back in those days. Even now it can take a few minutes to get out of a packed football stand.

[@semperfidelis8386]

@@Master-Disaster oooh

[@mrgobrien]

this video doesn't show just how quick the fire spread - less than 2 minutes once noticed by most people

[@seaoftranquility7228]

You sound like you’re reading a story to a class of toddlers.

[@Master-Disaster]

Sorry you didn’t like it. I’m struggling to get the balance right between expression and the somber tone needed for these videos.

[@seaoftranquility7228]

@@Master-Disaster You’ll find it. Reactions are far more positive than negative so it’s obviously not a massive issue.

[@dougmallory2600]

why were they dancing?

[@Master-Disaster]

God knows.

[@danthomsett6615]

Their team had won the league so the fans were in a celebratory mood from the moment they got to the ground. They had no idea of the real tragedy that was unfolding, because the majority of the people who died rushed to the back of that stand to escape through the turnstiles.

[@america1st721]

how did anybody die? there was ample time to see the flames and get out.

[@Master-Disaster]

People did see the flames, but the turnstiles at the back were locked, which were the only way out, and there were 2 5ft walls people had to climb over to get onto the pitch. Back in those days it took ages to get out of the stands at matches - which is why lots of people often left early to beat the crowds.

[@atrinder8944]

I seem to remember the fire exit doors has been locked. People found dead next to them, tragically unable to escape.

[@america1st721]

@@atrinder8944 that's just bad situational awareness.

[@mrgobrien]

the fire spread in just 90 second to 2 minutes or so once noticed by everyone.

[@america1st721]

@@mrgobrien 2 minutes is an eternity...situational awareness and common sense should be enough time to get you out of trouble.

[@nigelkthomas9501]

Classic case of shutting the gate after the horse has bolted! Smoking should’ve been banned anyway!

[@Master-Disaster]

Always the case. Regulations always change after an accident not before. Thanks for watching.

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

Smoking in all public places should have been banned back then.

[@masere]

I spoke to a friend who was a Bradford fan many years ago, before the ban on smoking, and he said you are still allowed to smoke there. You'd have thought it would have been banned there immediately, like smoking on the Underground was after the Kings Cross fire.

[@Robbiewa-bg4lu]

@@masere I forgot about the Kings Cross fire though I do remember the event itself in 1987. Smoking in all public places no matter where should have been totally banned after both these tragic events. And sadly I am afraid too many members of the public will not only carelessly toss away a cigarette end when almost smoked but too often they are careless when it comes to littering.And all it needs is a build up of litter and a carelessly discarded cigarette end to ignite it…and cause these tragedies. Besides smoking is a filthy habit and we now know what second hand smoke can do. And all credit must go to the Labour government who got it absolutely right 💯 in banning smoking in all public places.