[Archived] Supporter Safety Put At Risk

[Pedro]

Most people on here can see the big picture------indeed the only picture-------Kean/his cronies/Venkys collectively. Till they are removed or leave we can't move forward as a club------neither in terms of results nor in terms of re-engaging with the fans.

Calling other fans views "tedious" may make you feel more clever and discerning but does nothing else.

It doesn't make me feel clever, it's my view and simply a view that you don't agree with - but, hands up, I acknowledge your superiority because you are truly informed and have the inside track to all things Ewood etc.

I've got to say though that I've thoroughly enjoyed taking time out from the site because the same old people just keep whipping each other into a stress fuelled frenzy and convert every single conversation into a slanging match or Kean/Venkys this, that and the other. I thought I'd have a mooch again but let's be honest, nothing much has changed. So yeah, for me the whole scenario is now undoubtedly very tedious, boring and pointless.

Out of interest, seeing as you've taken particular offence to my opinion - am I to take it that you agree that this bit of smoke is "Rovers stooping to a new low" then as the propaganda suggests??

[Hughesy]

Also was it not caused by a flare??

Not sure why the club should clear the stand, it happens at many other stadiums & they never empty the stands - infact had they cleared it then Im sure we could all guess what would have been said about it.

So, was there an actual fire or just the smoke from smoke bombs and/or flares being set off?

If it was the former, yep we might have a pretty big issue here, if it's the latter, people really expect a stand to be evacuated, on a relegation night, live on Sky?

I looked at the amateur video and it showed people burning what appeared to be garments in the lower tier which caused a little smoke but not anything spectacular

In the end it turned out to be flares which had been set off by away supporters and medical attention was given at the scene to around 10 supporters. So no fire, no deaths and no evacuation. However stewards as they have been all season were under strict instruction to remove things like banners, and prevent protest, whilst something like this which could have been serious was not given the same attention.

You guessed it Matty - just flares.....well that plus those same fans in the Darwen End setting off smoke bombs and burning garments or whatever.....

Nothing like trying to create as much bad press for the club as possible.....yes you want the owners out, but trying to create a storm over everything/ anything possible is become abit too obvious now..... Like others have said, its getting boring!

[SouthAussieRover]

It doesn't make me feel clever, it's my view and simply a view that you don't agree with - but, hands up, I acknowledge your superiority because you are truly informed and have the inside track to all things Ewood etc.

I've got to say though that I've thoroughly enjoyed taking time out from the site because the same old people just keep whipping each other into a stress fuelled frenzy and convert every single conversation into a slanging match or Kean/Venkys this, that and the other. I thought I'd have a mooch again but let's be honest, nothing much has changed. So yeah, for me the whole scenario is now undoubtedly very tedious, boring and pointless.

Out of interest, seeing as you've taken particular offence to my opinion - am I to take it that you agree that this bit of smoke is "Rovers stooping to a new low" then as the propaganda suggests??

+1

[Miker]

Thanks for clearing that up, Glen. Sounds like the staff at the club did their job by preventing unnecessary panic and treating any affected supporters. Good to know we have professional and responsible staff working at Ewood.

[Stuart]

Thanks for clearing that up, Glen. Sounds like the staff at the club did their job by preventing unnecessary panic and treating any affected supporters. Good to know we have professional and responsible staff working at Ewood.

Even if that wasn't a wind-up post, which it clearly was, you are still missing a past tense in there.

[PAFELL]

Even if that wasn't a wind-up post, which it clearly was, you are still missing a past tense in there.

It looks like the staff did right. They appear to have handled the situation, caused no panic - which an evacuation could have done. If there was a safety issue, if people were at risk, then they would have handled it differently. No story here. Just an incident that was well handled by the club. Those immediatly affected were treated. Everybody else was safe.

[47er]

It doesn't make me feel clever, it's my view and simply a view that you don't agree with - but, hands up, I acknowledge your superiority because you are truly informed and have the inside track to all things Ewood etc.

I've got to say though that I've thoroughly enjoyed taking time out from the site because the same old people just keep whipping each other into a stress fuelled frenzy and convert every single conversation into a slanging match or Kean/Venkys this, that and the other. I thought I'd have a mooch again but let's be honest, nothing much has changed. So yeah, for me the whole scenario is now undoubtedly very tedious, boring and pointless.

Out of interest, seeing as you've taken particular offence to my opinion - am I to take it that you agree that this bit of smoke is "Rovers stooping to a new low" then as the propaganda suggests??

Not a new low---just yet another low, of which there will be many more to come under Venkys.

Not petty either because it shows how little the fans count under the present regime.

Since you've confirmed to yourself that the site consists of the same old boring people making pointless posts, is there any chance you won't be coming back?

[Kelbo]

It looks like the staff did right. They appear to have handled the situation, caused no panic - which an evacuation could have done. If there was a safety issue, if people were at risk, then they would have handled it differently. No story here. Just an incident that was well handled by the club. Those immediatly affected were treated. Everybody else was safe.

Once the club has called out the fire services, they are in control, like a ref, once the game has kicked off, he is in control, the club cant overide his decisions, until the fire crew decided it was safe, the club had no rights whatsoever in not following the fire services instructions!

[Parsonblue]

Nothing like trying to create as much bad press for the club as possible.....yes you want the owners out, but trying to create a storm over everything/ anything possible is become abit too obvious now..... Like others have said, its getting boring!

Sadly, until Venkys have gone nothing is going to change. They have made no attempts to engage with the local community and having brought the club to it's knees it is no surprise that everything surrounding the club is looked upon with negativity. We have gone from a well run Premier League club to perhaps a middling Championship club at best and all within 18 months. Whilst you may find the negativity boring it's nowhere near as boring as Venkys complete mismanagement of the club over the past 18 months. Every decision they have made has proved to be a wrong one and with thousands of fans turning their backs on the club we merely get 'The King of Spin' Agnew telling us its all down to just relegation. No wonder supporters are prepared to attack the owners on every and anything. One suspects that Ewood Park is going to provide a fairly hostile atmosphere this season particularly if Agnew and co decide to try to stop the fans venting their opinions on the owners and manager.

[Wolverine]

The story is getting muddled here. The on duty fire service were not called, despite being requested by people employed by the club to make that call.

They were requested based on smoke from an unknown source causing people to have difficulty breathing.

Until anyone else here can come up with first account details, everything else that is being said is hindsight.

[Kelbo]

The story is getting muddled here. The on duty fire service were not called, despite being requested by people employed by the club to make that call.

They were requested based on smoke from an unknown source causing people to have difficulty breathing.

Until anyone else here can come up with first account details, everything else that is being said is hindsight.

This is the statement!!

As supporters of Blackburn Rovers drifted away from Ewood Park on the night of May 7^th 2012, following a home defeat to Wigan Athletic, which confirmed the clubs relegation from the Premiership, little did they know that their very safety had been put at risk as the club refused to evacuate the Darwen End, despite calls from fire experts for this to happen.

As smoke bellowed from the Darwen End during the second half, active serving, senior fire fighters were concerned enough to call for an immediate evacuation of the stand. As all the fire stewards on duty rushed to the Darwen End, calls for an evacuation were both ignored and refused.

As young fans were in apparent ‘distress’ and Records should show a number of respiratory conditions were treated by medical teams during this incident, a source on duty that night claims “Control Room staff seemed more interested in monitoring the home fans protests in the lower tier of the Darwen End, than the smoke logged upper six rows of the top tier of the same stand.”

An active serving fire fighter who contacted the BRFC Action Group said he had “heard damning evidence over the radio which have led me to believe that preventing peaceful protest was prioritised over spectator safety” and that “my experience led me to consider that this could be a terrorist attack, or a genuine fire.”

The source went on to claim “The smoke given off was thick and acrid – whether toxic or not, it had the potential to cause panic – potentially another Hillsborough situation”. He also concluded “To treat home fans poorly by muffling their protestations and ignoring their views is bad enough, but to do so at the cost of the safety of people under their care is criminal”

[Wolverine]

Thanks kelbo, I am not looking for an argument - this is potentially bigger than the "fans v venkys/kean" issue.

What would be helpful is witnesses, either of the smoke or of the actions taken by stewards - were they concerned about the safety of fans or the attitude?

[AllRoverAsia]

This thread is getting out of order. The source? If you have evidence submit it to the relevant authorities. Make a combined complaint. Get it in the national Press. Discusing it here is useless unless real malpractice can be proven. You live in the lad of sue if the teas too hot - smoke inhalation...............................................................................holidays paid for.

And in all honesty I don't think that the sh1te that now infests Rovers would ingore a real threat to a human tradgedy just to steward the lads and lasses in the Rovers section of the Darwen end. Even if they were singing ''Kean a female organ''. I really don't.

[47er]

This thread is getting out of order. The source? If you have evidence submit it to the relevant authorities. Make a combined complaint. Get it in the national Press. Discusing it here is useless unless real malpractice can be proven. You live in the lad of sue if the teas too hot - smoke inhalation...............................................................................holidays paid for.

And in all honesty I don't think that the sh1te that now infests Rovers would ingore a real threat to a human tradgedy just to steward the lads and lasses in the Rovers section of the Darwen end. Even if they were singing ''Kean a female organ''. I really don't.

How is the thread getting out of order? You've been able to post what you think on the subject, why can't anyone else?

[AllRoverAsia]

There appears to be a growing conviction that safety issues actually were ignored.

Surely there would be too many independant officials at the match for that to happen.

If people have proof that the 'Control room'' ignored safety then they should take it further.

Living in BKK for a long time where H&S is minus zero I hear often from family in the UK on H&S stuff they encounter at work.

I'm just finding it difficult to see how in the UK H&S would be ignored as has been suggested in this thread.

Otherwise and perhaps unfortunately its hearsay.

How is the thread getting out of order? You've been able to post what you think on the subject, why can't anyone else?

Sorry 47er I maent to include your post in my reply but for some reason it didn't appear.

why can't anyone else? - of course that's correct. I was referring to the threads direction which appeared to me to be going for the Ewood Control Room without confirmed proof. If that's obtained then go for them big.

[Wolverine]

And I agree with you that proof is required - hence I feel what should be shared here is truthful first-hand experiences from that match.

[PAFELL]

Once the club has called out the fire services, they are in control, like a ref, once the game has kicked off, he is in control, the club cant overide his decisions, until the fire crew decided it was safe, the club had no rights whatsoever in not following the fire services instructions!

Something I have learnt since, the Police on the scene can overide it.

This story should be put in the media. Let either the club or fire service respond to it.

[glen9mullan]

Various communications have been made today, and it has been confirmed to us by various regularatory bodies than an on-going investigation has been in place on this matter since the end of May. Rovers have been instructed to compile a full explanation as this matter is something the authorites deemed fit in May to call for a full enquiry.

[AllRoverAsia]

Various communications have been made today, and it has been confirmed to us by various regularatory bodies than an on-going investigation has been in place on this matter since the end of May. Rovers have been instructed to compile a full explanation as this matter is something the authorites deemed fit in May to call for a full enquiry.

I'm going to check that and I acn.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Lets get the Darwen End closed down for next season and away fans banned.

Wayyheyyyy!

[47er]

Something I have learnt since, the Police on the scene can overide it.

This story should be put in the media. Let either the club or fire service respond to it.

But surely there is nothing to write about?.

You assured us the Club had done the right thing and averted a panic?

[mhead]

To summarise.....someone set off some kind of smoke bombs and 10 people were treated in the Upper Tier.

In the Lower Tier too many police and a lot of stewards were watching 'our' supporters in 'our' ground.

At the same time if you had a flag or Venkys/Kean out materials they were confiscated.

We also know at least one chicken(now a legend) was smuggled into the Ground....no mean feat.

So for next season, if this is now an anti-Venkys/Kean campaign again - which I believe it has to be - then renewers sitting in the Darwen End and Blackburn End have a big responsibility to cause aggravation. As a Supporter of BRAG/BRSIT and A Renewer I suggest a Koln FC Smoke Bomb barrage, which received world-wide publicity at the end of last season. Koln FC in one of Germany's largest and best Cities have been very badly run for over 10 years and the fans had just had enough. The Smoke Bombs meant clearing the pitch and the black smoke slowly moved round the ground.

There has to be a certain amount of 'anarchy' and spontaneity in any protest during what is now a guerilla campaign. Of course none of it has to go back to established organisations in order not to discredit them.

At the same time as I believe in anarchic protests, I also agree with Pedro that this web-site is 'occupied' by anti-BR supporters now. Unless we go to the matches(good,bad or pathetic) then we will slowly lose our passion and the 1990-2010 high-water period will become just history. Very sad.

[ABBEY]

Main reason I've renewed is to give stick to the scum and numb nuts.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

So for next season, if this is now an anti-Venkys/Kean campaign again - which I believe it has to be - then renewers sitting in the Darwen End and Blackburn End have a big responsibility to cause aggravation. As a Supporter of BRAG/BRSIT and A Renewer I suggest a Koln FC Smoke Bomb barrage, which received world-wide publicity at the end of last season.

Come to your senses mate please!

[Kelbo]

Something I have learnt since, the Police on the scene can overide it.

This story should be put in the media. Let either the club or fire service respond to it.

No they cant, just spoken to son in law, serving fire officer, the fire service are in charge until giving the all clear, the police are only there to follow fire officers instructions regarding safety issues, once all clear is given, then police/club can take charge!