Show Notes
On 11th May 1985, Bradford City FC were playing Lincoln City in the final game of the season. It was a day of celebration that saw 11,076 supporters at Bradford’s ground, Valley Parade, to see the club collect its first trophy for 56 years. Minutes before half time, smoke began rising and within four minutes the fire engulfed the entire stand, reaching a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius. 56 men, women and children were killed and 265 were injured. It was one of the most deadly fires in British history which, after a five day inquiry which blamed a dropped cigarette, was widely regarded as a tragic accident. But is that the whole truth? Journalist Mobeen Azhar investigates.
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More from 900 Degrees
Despite fading in the nation's memory, the impact of the Bradford City Fire will be everlasting for anyone who was there that day. It’s perhaps this reason why many fans have declined to engage in another examination of the evidence.
Four years after the Bradford City Fire, tragedy struck again. Hillsborough Stadium played host to the semi-final of the 1989 FA Cup. The police failed to manage the entrance to the stadium and an ensuing crush led to the deaths of 97 more football fans.
There were countless heroes on the 11th of May 1985. Without the selfless actions of fellow fans, police officers and nurses, the death toll would have been even higher.
The inquiry which examined the Bradford City Stadium Fire didn't name anybody as being responsible for starting the blaze. But it did find that the fire was started accidentally - likely via a dropped cigarette. But how strong was the evidence? And did the investigation look into any of Stafford Heginbotham's previous fires?
Bradford City has had a tumultuous history. For decades before the fire in ‘85, the club had lingered in the lower leagues of English football. But they may have ceased to exist at all. For many fans, the fact they are still a club today is down to one man: Stafford Heginbotham.