In April 2015 Popplewell expressed the view that it was " bizarre " to suggest that the Bradford City stadium fire was anything other than accidental . This was in response to the publication of an article in The Guardian newspaper of an extract from a new book " Fifty-Six : The Story of the Bradford Fire " by Martin Fletcher , revealing new information about 8 previous fires allegedly connected to the Bradford City owner and chairman , Stafford Heginbotham ( who died in 1995 ) , Popplewell later qualified his remark and suggested that the police should look into the “ remarkable number ” of fires allegedly connected to Bradford City ’s then chairman “ to see if there was anything sinister ” . He had earlier said that he remained convinced that the fire was “ undoubtedly ” started by accident by a discarded match or cigarette , despite the new evidence
Bradford City stadium fire
Bradford City stadium fire
Oliver Popplewell