Three of the UK’s most Infamous Fires
Over the years there have been numerous fires that have caught the attention of the public and been thrust into the media spotlight. These are the blazes that we dread, the fires that appeared to burn out of control, the cinder and smoke incidents that claimed countless lives and will go down as some of the worst in history.
To make you aware of the devastating effect of fire, here are three horrific examples of all too public blazes from the last three decades.
Woolworths Fire
Tuesday 8th May 1979 was a sorrowful day for the residents of Manchester. Just after midday a local taxi driver notices flames coming from the Woolworths building close to Piccadilly gardens, he calls his dispatcher, and she alerts the fire service who attend the scene. Sadly by this stage the fire has already taken hold. Flames rip through the lower levels of the six floor building and 10 people die during the blaze.
The cause of the fire was attributed to a faulty electrical cable in the basement and sadly, no sprinklers or fire prevention systems were fitted inside the building to combat the ignition source.
Bradford Stadium Fire
Saturday 11th May 1985 will forever be etched into the memories of Bradford City FC fans. Their beloved team are playing at home to Lincoln City and this game is watched from the terraces by 11,000 fans. Just before half time a small fire is spotted at the back of G block at Valley Parade. The flames fan and they spread at an alarming rate, resulting in the loss of 40 lives. 200 further people are also treated for injuries at hospital on one of football’s darkest days.
Manchester Airport Runway Blaze
It’s 22nd August 1985 and passengers boarding flight 28 M from Manchester Airport are looking forward to a holiday in Corfu. All seems well as the plane approaches take off speed but the pilot abandons the lift at the last minute after hearing a bump come from the plane. He initially thinks the sound is a tyre blowing but soon realises one of the plane’s engines has caught fire. Light winds fan the flames and they mix with aviation fuel with devastating results.
Although rescue operations begin, and emergency fire crews attend the scene as quickly as possible, many passengers are trapped inside the plane, most of which are overcome by fumes. Devastatingly, 53 passengers and 2 crew members die as a result of the disaster, one of the worst fire-related incidents in aviation history.
Fire kills, this is fact. Don’t let a disaster ruin your life or the lives of others, speak to us here at RAD Fire Sprinklers about sprinkler solutions.
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