# The Hillsborough Disaster The **Hillsborough disaster** was a fatal crowd crush that occurred on **15 April 1989** at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It remains the deadliest sporting event in British history and a pivotal moment in the legislative and structural evolution of association football. ### Event Overview The tragedy unfolded during an **FA Cup semi-final** match between **Liverpool** and **Nottingham Forest**. The crush took place within the Leppings Lane end of the stadium, specifically in two central "standing-only" pens (Pens 3 and 4) which had been allocated to Liverpool supporters. ### Chronology of the Incident * **Pre-match Congestion:** In the hour leading up to the 3:00 PM kick-off, a significant bottleneck of supporters formed outside the turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end, creating a hazardous buildup of people. * **Command Decision:** To alleviate the congestion outside the turnstiles, the police match commander, **David Duckenfield**, ordered **Exit Gate C** to be opened. * **The Influx:** The opening of the gate allowed thousands of supporters to enter the ground simultaneously. Most fans instinctively headed for the tunnel directly ahead, which led into the central pens. Unlike the side pens, these central areas were already at or exceeding capacity. * **The Global Impact:** The influx caused a catastrophic increase in pressure, pinning supporters against the perimeter fencing at the front of the stands. The match was stopped six minutes after kick-off as fans climbed over fences and onto the pitch to escape the crush. ### Casualties and Investigation * **Fatalities:** The disaster resulted in **97 deaths** and 766 reported injuries. * **The Taylor Report (1990):** This inquiry identified a failure of police control as the primary cause. Its recommendations led to the transformation of major British football stadiums into **all-seater venues** and the removal of perimeter spike fencing. * **The Hillsborough Independent Panel (2012):** This report revealed a massive cover-up by the South Yorkshire Police to shift blame onto the victims. * **2016 Inquests:** Following decades of campaigning by the *Hillsborough Family Support Group* and others, a second inquest concluded that the supporters were **unlawfully killed**. The jury cited gross negligence manslaughter by the police and identified significant failures in the stadium's safety certification and emergency response. ### Legacy The disaster fundamentally changed the culture of British football, leading to modernized safety standards and the "Justice for the 96" (later 97) campaign, which became a landmark movement for legal accountability and civil rights in the United Kingdom.