The events of April 15, 1989 in Sheffield
Created by LiverpoolEchonews on 05/04/2009
Last updated: 09/05/11 at 18:47
Tags: Hillsborough Liverpool FC Hillsborough disaster
The last casualties leave the stadium, with our image showing the aftermath of the disaster in a near-deserted stadium.
A total of 94 people died on the day, with 766 other fans being injured and around 300 being taken to hospital.
Four days later, the death toll reached 95 when 14-year-old Lee Nicol died in hospital from his injuries.
The final death toll became 96 in March 1993, when Tony Bland died after remaining in a coma for nearly four years.
www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/hillsborough
The game is officially abandoned.
www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/hillsborough
The BBC newsflash on the disaster
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A meeting is held in the boardroom between Duckenfield, Graham Kelly of the FA and club representatives from Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday.
Duckenfield tells the group that Liverpool supporters had forced open the exit gate and caused a rush into the stadium.
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Fans who have scrambled onto the pitch join overwhelmed police and emergency staff in using advertising hoardings as makeshift stretchers.
Ambulances have entered the ground by now and the club gymnasium is used as a makeshift mortuary.
The BBC and ITV begin to report the disaster, with the BBC's cameras - there for the FA Cup tie - recording what happened.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/hillsborough
After being approached by the police on the pitch, referee Ray Lewis stops the match and takes both teams off the pitch.
Hundreds of Liverpool supporters are now on the area between the fence and the goalline, many trying to free their friends and fellow fans from the crush.
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With Liverpool attacking the Kop end, a shot from Peter Beardsley hits the crossbar, causing an inevitable surge on the terraces.
Seconds later, a crush barrier gives way, causing supporters to fall over.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/hillsborough
The game begins, but the central pens are massively overcrowded and many supporters are struggling to breathe.
Some Liverpool supporters are already trying to climb over the perimeter fencing to escape the crush.
The exit gate at the front of the pen sprung open, but police feared a pitch invasion and tried to force supporters back in.
www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/hillsborough
A message is relayed to the police control room from officers outside, stating someone might die in the crush outside the ground if the gates are not opened.
On Duckenfield's orders, gate C - intended to allow supporters to exit the ground - is opened, allowing 2000 supporters to enter and head along a tunnel underneath the stand towards the already overcrowded pens 3 and 4 before it is closed at 2.57pm
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The central pens 3 and 4 at the Leppings Lane end of the ground are full, with one boy already having been carried out.
By contrast the two side pens are relatively empty.
Outside the ground the situation is worsening, with no organised queueing meaning people are packed into a confined area.
A request to open the exit gate was denied by Duckenfield, fearing that admitting fans without tickets would be a public order risk.
www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/hillsborough
A large number of Liverpool supporters, many of whom were delayed on their way to the ground due to roadworks on the motorway, are bottlenecked outside the Leppings Lane end of the stadium.
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Chief Superintendent David Duckenfield and Superintendent Bernard Murray - the officers in charge - go to the Police control room at the stadium.
www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/hillsborough
12pm onwards - Liverpool and Nottingham Forest fans begin to arrive in Sheffield for the FA Cup semi-final between the two teams.
Liverpool fans are allocated 24,000 tickets and Nottingham Forest 28,000, despite Liverpool's average attendance being 15,000 more than the Midlanders.
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