New Inquest sought for the victims of the 1981 New Cross Fire

On Sunday 18th January 1981, friends Yvonne Ruddock and Angela Jackson held a joint 16th birthday party in a house on New Cross Road in Deptford. A fire started on the ground floor and quickly spread, trapping many of the guests upstairs. Thirteen people - all black - were killed and those who survived had to jump out of the windows.

2011 is the 30th anniversary of the New Cross fire and since then, no one has been held accountable for these tragic deaths, which a lot of people, especially those in the Black community, deemed racially motivated.

The spokesperson for the bereaved families has spoken of their wish for a new inquest to be opened on the fire, similar to the one on the 7/7 bombings that was opened last year.

I am only one person, but I believe in the power of the internet. And hopefully, if enough people sign this petition and it is bought to the attention of the people in the Government, the Judicial system and the media who can open a new inquest, then hopefully it'll bring some justice to the people who died so tragically young - and the families and friends, who to this day, still fight for them.