The Bradford fire: A dark day that changed football forever

An afternoon that began in celebration with Bradford-born club captain Peter Jackson receiving the Third Division Championship trophy - the club's first silverware in 56 years - ended in tragedy as 56 people lost their lives and more than 250 were injured.

At 3.40pm, five minutes before half-time, the first signs of fire were noticed in the Main Stand and fire-fighting equipment was requested to deal with what was expected to be a minor incident.

Within a couple of minutes, however, the first flames became visible and police began evacuating the stand, which on the day was packed with approximately 3,000 fans.

Referee Don Shaw halted the match three minutes before half-time, with the score at 0-0, having been alerted to the unfolding incident by one of his linesmen. The Football League subsequently ordered the scoreline at the time of the abandonment to stand.

The blaze, which forensic reports blamed on a discarded cigarette butt, was spreading rapidly, however, and just four minutes after the initial signs of fire the flames had reached the roof and the wooden stands below. Police were desperately struggling to reach those who were too stunned or weak to escape.

Such was the rapidity of the blaze, though, that it soon became apparent that it was going to be an impossible task as rescuers were beaten back by the flames. As hundreds of people swarmed onto the pitch, the full horror of the situation was unveiling behind them as the stand was engulfed by the raging inferno.

No-one who saw the pictures on the early evening news that fateful day will ever forget them as the true extent of the disaster became apparent. Reaction to the horror was instant, with messages of sympathy arriving from the Queen, the Pope, the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and other political leaders and leading church figures from around the world.

A House of Commons enquiry was ordered into the blaze and the subsequent findings, published in the Popplewell Report, brought about new legislation governing safety at the nation's sporting stadia.

Key Figures

Did You Know...?

The Bradford blaze was the worst fire in the history of British football, and the worst stadium disaster since 65 fans died at Ibrox in January 1971 at the end of a Rangers v Celtic match.

The blaze in Valley Parade's Main Stand spread so fast that, to this day, video footage of the tragedy is shown on fire training courses to demonstrate how quickly flames can engulf a structure.

Following the disaster, Bradford played their 'home' games at a variety of venues, including Odsal Stadium (the home of the town's rugby league team), and the grounds of Huddersfield Town and Leeds United. They returned to a rebuilt Valley Parade on December 14, 1986 when a 15,000 full house saw them beat an England XI 2-1 in a hugely emotional commemorative match.