Burnden Park disaster

The Bolton Disaster ( the Bolton disaster ) was a heavy viewers accident during a football game in the English town of Bolton on March 9, 1946, 33 people were killed.; more than 500 were injured, some seriously.

The accident

In the sixth round of the FA Cup Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City came together. The return leg at Burnden Park had 65,000 visitors completely sold out. Nevertheless, another 20,000 people were outside the stadium and tried still get inside. Shortly before kick-off the inlet lock gave way and the crowd surged into the auditorium. The field barriers were no match for the enormous pressure and broke a little later also, so that the front row was pushed to the ground and at the same time the amount spilled uncontrollably on the square.

The scandal

The game was a short interruption which this took the police to urge the masses, at least behind the goal line, continued until a few minutes later, a policeman ran onto the pitch and referee Dutton announced that a spectator had died. This then instructed the team captains Harry Hubbick and Neil Franklin to lead the team from the field. By order of the police chiefs Boltoner the match but was kicked off on 26 minutes again, while the covered bodies were stored on the sidelines. Despite significant protests, the two teams played to end the encounter. The advancement of Bolton interested ultimately anyone.

Follow

The misfortune was to the second Ibrox disaster in 1971 as the worst incident at a football match in the UK. In response to the Bolton disaster the British Home Office ordered tighter controls and operating licenses for stadiums. In addition, there was an official investigation into the incident, the lawyer Moelwyn Hughes recommended at the end in his report a significant reduction in seating capacity.