The Valley Parade fire

[Pretty Boy]

Deliberate?

Absolutely huge implication to make here:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/apr/15/bradford-fire-stafford-heginbotham-martin-fletcher

[Hibernia&Alba]

Link isn't working for me, PB.

[blackpoolhibs]

I read this earlier, 8 previous cases of suspicious fires at businesses owned by the Bradford Chairman.

[Derek Dougan]

Try this link http://www.theguardian.com/football/...P=EMCFTBEML853

[Hibernia&Alba]

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Try this link http://www.theguardian.com/football/...P=EMCFTBEML853

Thanks for that. It does seem very likely the then Bradford chairman used arson to resolve his money problems a number of times, but wouldn't he have torched it at night, when it was empty? That stand was a wooden death trap, but of course it is highly suspicious it just happened to burn down when the club had been presented with a huge bill to improve it

[Hibbyradge]

The Bradford City chairman at the time was linked to at least eight previous fires before the Valley Parade disaster!

Circumstantial, I know, but bloody hell!

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...MCNEWEML6619I2

[Hermit Crab]

http://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?3...ey-Parade-fire

[Hibrandenburg]

How come nobody has managed to join the dots until now? It pains me to think that someone might have willfully been responsible for the horrible way those people died. Terrible terrible scenes that day.

[tamig]

Jeez. Coming on 30 years ago. I remember watching the scenes on the telly. Some harrowing footage on youtube. An awful day for these poor people.

[Nando™]

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Thanks for that. It does seem very likely the then Bradford chairman used arson to resolve his money problems a number of times, but wouldn't he have torched it at night, when it was empty? That stand was a wooden death trap, but of course it is highly suspicious it just happened to burn down when the club had been presented with a huge bill to improve it

Done during a game, it could easily be blamed on a rogue fag-end from a supporter and lit up some litter.

[HH81]

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Done during a game, it could easily be blamed on a rogue fag-end from a supporter and lit up some litter.

Think that was given as the starter of the fire from that I read while back.

[tamig]

It's unbelievable his previous "coincidences" are only just coming to light with this book. Shocking stuff.

[Nando™]

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Think that was given as the starter of the fire from that I read while back.

Ha, I never even knew that was the reason given. Predictable

[HH81]

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Ha, I never even knew that was the reason given. Predictable

From what I remember back in that stand was wood seats and loads of litter had got under the stand. Cig or match went through wood and lit litter below.

[Hermit Crab]

The footage from that is used every day in fire safety/training videos at briefings in the workplace.

[BroxburnHibee]

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The footage from that is used every day in fire safety/training videos at briefings in the workplace.

Yep I had to sit through it not that long ago. I'm in no hurry to watch it again.

[Jonnyboy]

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Jeez. Coming on 30 years ago. I remember watching the scenes on the telly. Some harrowing footage on youtube. An awful day for these poor people.

Same here and it was horrendous.

Guy on 5Live today was saying he was at the game but didn't think it was arson as the insurance companies would surely have rumbled eight or more claims. Maybe nowadays, with the technology available to share info etc but I'm not so sure it would have been easy back then

[Hermit Crab]

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Yep I had to sit through it not that long ago. I'm in no hurry to watch it again.

Yeah, I've seen it twice at work at safety briefs. Not keen on it myself.

[FranckSuzy]

I watched this as well when I started with the NHS and IIRC, the first person who called 999 was a women watching the game on TV, who lived miles away! Very sad.

[Frazerbob]

Surely to God, if he was planning a fire during the game, he'd have ensured the fire exits were not locked with chains.

[JimBHibees]

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Surely to God, if he was planning a fire during the game, he'd have ensured the fire exits were not locked with chains.

Yep they were padlocked with no stewards to open them.

[Hibernia&Alba]

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From what I remember back in that stand was wood seats and loads of litter had got under the stand. Cig or match went through wood and lit litter below.

Exactly the same thing happened at the London Underground fire in 1987. Wooden escalators that had rubbish under them. A tragedy waiting to happen.

[Tinribs]

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I watched this as well when I started with the NHS and IIRC, the first person who called 999 was a women watching the game on TV, who lived miles away! Very sad.

I have been forced to re-watch the fire lots of times at NHS fire safety lectures over the last 25 years, it never EVER gets easier.

[Hibernia&Alba]

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I have been forced to re-watch the fire lots of times at NHS fire safety lectures over the last 25 years, it never EVER gets easier.

Aye, I've seen the match commentary with John Helm, on You Tube. It's incredible how quickly the stand burns down from the time he notices it. The footage is harrowing: I always think of the poor guy who runs across the pitch whilst on fire, as people try to put him out. Horrendous.

[EdinMike]

I'm shocked i've never heard of this, granted I'm just a pup. And the revelations in this book (If true) would be horrific !

[Stax]

Horrendous and never to be forgotten scenes that day. God forbid there is any truth in these allegations. I heard the author of the book on talksport (His brother died in the fire iirc) Enough links to previous business insurance claims for allegations to be taken seriously IMO but even a new inquiry would struggle to prove anything surely?

[Scouse Hibee]

Pretty horrendous if it was started maliciously, I remember it, a horrific day for all involved.

[LancashireHibby]

Seen a couple of reports today that the stand was due to be demolished so there wouldn't have been any insurance value if it was deliberately set alight.

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

I was only days old when this happened so obviously dont remember it, however why does it not get more media attention? Hillsborough-quite rightly-is never out of our thoughts and minds, why is this not given the same attention? Seems just as tragic.

On a side note, why is Tynecastle still given a safety certificate?! It's incredible that there's not been a serious accident in that death trap

[Pete]

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I was only days old when this happened so obviously dont remember it, however why does it not get more media attention? Hillsborough-quite rightly-is never out of our thoughts and minds, why is this not given the same attention? Seems just as tragic.

I don't know if it's just me but the mid to late eighties seemed to be a really bad time for "disasters"...football or otherwise.

Harsh to say but maybe it sort of got lost amongst all the others. Hillsborough was maybe different because of the blame attached to it and the dispute that followed.