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 gate had been forced and there had been an inrush of Liverpool supporters. He pointed to one of the television screens focussed on gate C by the Leppings Lane turnstiles and said "That's the gate that's been forced: there's been an inrush". Inevitably Mr Kelly was interviewed a little later live on television. He spoke of the two stories concerning the gate - the fans' account that the police had opened it, the police assertion that the fans had forced their way in.

About 3.30 pm there was a further meeting in the Club's boardroom. Mr Duckenfield went there and met Mr Kelly, the referee and representatives of the three clubs. ACC Jackson was also there. Mr Duckenfield indicated the match was likely to be abandoned although no firm ruling was given. He added that he did not want people to know it was to be abandoned lest the dispersing crowd hamper the emergency operations.

Public Announcements

Later the managers of the two teams were asked to go to the control room. They were invited there to make a public announcement to calm the crowd. Mr Kenny Dalglish agreed to do so. He told the crowd that there were problems and asked them to assist the police and those rendering first aid. He asked for calm and his message was well received. It was then 3.56 pm. At 4.10 pm it was announced that the match was abandoned for that day. Again that message was received calmly by the crowd most of whom behaved responsibly as they dispersed.

Fire Brigade

Meanwhile the emergency services had been in action. At about 3.10 pm a request came from the perimeter fence to control for bolt croppers to cut the wire mesh. Sergeant Goddard contacted the police garage close by without success. At 3.13 pm, PC Bichard requested Headquarters to call the fire service to bring hydraulic cutting equipment to the Leppings Lane entrance.

There was no arrangement for a fire officer to be present during the match. However, the Major Disaster Plan required all emergency services to be alerted. After 'phone messages which must be described later, fire appliances arrived at both Leppings Lane and Penistone Road at 3.22 pm. At both entrances their arrival surprised police who were uninformed as to why they had been called or where they should go.

At Leppings Lane a police Inspector told Station Officer Swain "I don't really think we need you". Another police officer then asked for more resuscitators as people were dying so Mr Swain radioed for ten fire appliances. Each carries oxygen and resuscitation equipment.

At the Kop end, Leading Fireman Housley arrived with an emergency tender and Station Officer Fletcher in another appliance, each with a crew. The emergency tender came along the roadway by the south stand but owing to its height was unable to proceed further. It therefore backed out and went to the Leppings Lane entrance losing some eight minutes. From there, Mr Housley and his crew went onto the pitch with resuscitation equipment. They rendered help there and later at the gymnasium. Mr Fletcher and his men ran along behind the south stand carrying cutting equipment and oxygen cylinders. When they arrived at the fence, the cutting equipment was not required as by then the last of the dead and injured were being removed from the pens. Mr Fletcher set up a casualty clearing area under the police box and firemen assisted in carrying victims as well as rendering first aid on the pitch.

South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (SYMAS)

Before 1986 there had been no SYMAS representative routinely present at Hillsborough matches. The Club was content, as indeed are many other clubs, to rely upon the St John's Ambulance Brigade and a 999 call if necessary. From 1986 onwards, after representations, the Club provided two seats in the south stand for SYMAS staff at League matches. At one stage it was suggested they would be best placed in the north stand close to the gymnasium which had been designated as the casualty centre in the event of a major incident. The south stand seats were allotted as they placed the SYMAS staff closer to the players' tunnel should a player be injured. These seats were, however, not available at Cup semi-finals. SYMAS representatives nevertheless attended at the semi-finals by arrangement with the police in 1988 and again in 1989. The SYMAS officers stood on the ramp leading to the pitch at the north-east corner. They had one ambulance outside the ground and one on standby.

On 15 April 1989, Officers Higgins and Eason were at the ground with an ambulance and crew. They noticed fans on the track and went to the Leppings Lane end whilst the game was still in progress. They began to attend to casualties. Meanwhile, at 2.59 pm, there had been a call from Police Constable Waugh at police Rh