Today, Sunday 18 January 2026, marks the solemn 45th anniversary of the devastating New Cross Fire, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 13 young black people in southeast London.
A Night of Celebration Turns to Tragedy
The fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday 18 January 1981 at a house party at 439 New Cross Road. The event was a joint birthday celebration for Yvonne Ruddock, 16, and Angela Jackson. As the party continued into the night, a catastrophic fire erupted at around 5.40am.
The blaze killed 13 partygoers aged between 14 and 22. The youngest victim was Andrew Gooding, just 14 years old. A 14th victim, Anthony Berbeck, 20, who was deeply traumatised by the loss of his friends, died by suicide in 1983.
Controversy and Unanswered Questions
The cause of the fire has been fiercely disputed for decades, against a backdrop of high racial tensions and a strong presence of the fascist National Front (NF) at the time. Many in the community believed it was a racist attack, with witnesses reporting a white man in a white car fleeing the scene and allegations of a Molotov cocktail being thrown.
This led many to refer to the event as The New Cross Massacre. However, the Metropolitan Police dismissed the idea of an attack. A 2011 forensic science report later ruled out a firebomb, concluding the blaze started accidentally when a partygoer set fire to a foam-filled armchair.
Despite two inquests, both returned open conclusions, and nobody has ever been charged in connection with the fire.
Legacy and Remembrance
The tragedy sparked immense grief and anger, culminating in the historic Black People's Day of Action on 2 March 1981, when 20,000 people marched from New Cross to the House of Commons demanding justice.
Today, a memorial service is being held at St Andrew’s Church on Brockley Road, SE4, to honour those lost. The service will be catered by Caribbean restaurant Cummin Up, whose owner, Richard Simpson, lost friends in the fire.
Speaking in 2022, Simpson highlighted the lasting trauma, stating the voices of those affected "are not being heard."
The names of those who died are:
- Andrew Gooding, 14
- Owen Thompson, 16
- Patricia Johnson, 15
- Patrick Cummings, 16
- Steve Collins, 17
- Lloyd Hall, 20
- Humphrey Geoffrey Brown, 20
- Rosaline Henry, 16
- Peter Campbell, 18
- Gerry Paul Francis, 17
- Glenton Powell, 15
- Paul Ruddock, 22
- Yvonne Ruddock, 16
- Anthony Berbeck, 20
