What happened at Bradford City FC’s Valley Parade in 1985?

On 11 May 1985 a fire broke out in the main stand of Bradford City FC’s stadium, Valley Parade. The fire was a tragedy that claimed the lives of 26 people and caused 265 injuries.

The stand was commissioned around 1911 and was an all-wood construction. The wooden roof was covered with tarpaulin and sealed with asphalt and bitumen. Burning timbers and molten materials fell from the roof and onto the crowd below.

Black smoke enveloped a passageway behind the stand where many spectators were trying to escape. There were no fire extinguishers in the stand’s passageway for fear of vandalism.

With people becoming panicked, fans headed towards an exit only to find it locked (the gates were locked during games to prevent people from entering without paying).

How did the Bradford City stadium fire start?

The fire is thought to have been started by a lit cigarette dropped under the wooden stand, igniting litter beneath the steps. It took less than four minutes for the entire stand to become engulfed in flames.

The fire brigade arrived at the ground four minutes after they were called, but by this time fire had consumed the stand, leaving firefighters faced with huge flames and dense smoke.

What can the industry learn from the Bradford City stadium fire?

Following the tragedy a committee was established to examine the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. The committee recommended that the Act be rewritten as the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act.

The Act did not replace the Fire Precautions Act but gave more powers to the local Building Control Authority and Fire Authority.