Bradford soccer stadium fire
Submitted by admin on Wed, 2008-02-13 20:59.
Sometime we forget how fast a fire can take hold, engulf a building and threaten lives. In my early career while still at university I watch the video of the Bradford Soccer Stadium fire that changed my perception of the threat.
The internet now allows us to watch these videos again and remind ourselves of the risk!
Background
Fatalities: 56
Date: May 11, 1985
Location: Bradford, England
An inquiry of the incident determined that most likely an accumulation of trash ignited by a cigarette was the source of ignition. The fire spread the length of the stadium approximately 88 metres (290 feet) in less than 5 minutes, due to a number of contributing factors.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 15:40 | Smoldering fire detected in Section G of the grandstand |
| 15:41 | First signs of smoke are seen |
| 15:42 | Patrons in the lower rows of section G start to evacuate. Smoke begins to build; patrons begin to move to rear concourse. |
| 15:43 | Open flames are observed in the grandstand. Fire Brigade is dispatched. |
| 15:44 | Flame height is approximately 1.5 metres (5 Feet). Rear of section G is obscured by smoke. |
| 15:45 | Flames touch the roof structure. Smoke moves below the roof structure, followed by flames. |
| 15:46 | Fire Brigade arrives. Flames under the entire roof structure. |
| 15:47 | Fire throughout the entire grandstand. Last patron escapes over the front wall. |
On investigation, the fire brigade found bodies in the concourse area near exits, in turnstile areas and lavatories which had appeared to be mistaken for exits.
As you can see this fire developed very fast (less than 7 minutes) and is a stark reminder of the risks. I hope you too can draw on this experience to ensure your essential safety measures and maintained in state fit for purpose.
A copy of the NFPA research paper on the Bradford Soccer Stadium fire can be found on online.
Russ
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