The Sun Hill Fire (2002)
Encyclopedia
The Sun Hill Fire was a storyline in the long-running police procedural
television series, The Bill
, which was broadcast from 1984 to 2010.
During the latter part of 2002, the fictional London borough
of Canley is troubled by racial tensions between racist groups and Asian youths over a planned racist demonstration. In March that year, Chief Inspector Derek Conway, was removed from the cast after his character was killed in a petrol bombing
, carried out by a racist group witnessed by DC Mickey Webb.
Derek Conway's former colleague, Inspector Andrew Monroe organised a memorial fund for his family and encouraged each character to donate money. On the day of the collection, Constable Des Taviner confiscated a large sum of money from a youth and kept it, donating the money with the story that he had won a gambling bet.
On the same night of the donations, the streets of Sun Hill descended into rioting and a large group of youths mounted an attack on Sun Hill police station
, throwing petrol bombs and trying to gain access to the building. While the attack was in progress, a youth climbed over the way which surrounded the yard area. The youth come face-to-face with Des Taviner and in the resulting scuffle, Taviner seized the youth's petrol bombs, but let him get away. Since having confiscated the money, Des had discovered that it was counterfeit
, prompting him to throw the petrol bomb into Inspector Monroe's temporary office where the money was being stored overnight. Unknown to Des, contractors in the process of refurbishing the station had left gas canisters in the office. Eventually, the canisters ignited and sent an explostion hurtling through the station, killing six officers who were having a party in an office on the first floor. The contractors had locked the fire exits after their equipment had been stolen, preventing those inside escaping.
The episode attracted over eight million viewers, and was the first of the few times computer generated imagery
had been used on the show. The imagery was used because producing a real explosion and fireball ripping through the station corridors was not possible.
Six regular cast members were removed as a result of the fire:
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
television series, The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, which was broadcast from 1984 to 2010.
During the latter part of 2002, the fictional London borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
of Canley is troubled by racial tensions between racist groups and Asian youths over a planned racist demonstration. In March that year, Chief Inspector Derek Conway, was removed from the cast after his character was killed in a petrol bombing
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
, carried out by a racist group witnessed by DC Mickey Webb.
Derek Conway's former colleague, Inspector Andrew Monroe organised a memorial fund for his family and encouraged each character to donate money. On the day of the collection, Constable Des Taviner confiscated a large sum of money from a youth and kept it, donating the money with the story that he had won a gambling bet.
On the same night of the donations, the streets of Sun Hill descended into rioting and a large group of youths mounted an attack on Sun Hill police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, throwing petrol bombs and trying to gain access to the building. While the attack was in progress, a youth climbed over the way which surrounded the yard area. The youth come face-to-face with Des Taviner and in the resulting scuffle, Taviner seized the youth's petrol bombs, but let him get away. Since having confiscated the money, Des had discovered that it was counterfeit
Counterfeit money
Counterfeit money is currency that is produced without the legal sanction of the state or government to resemble some official form of currency closely enough that it may be confused for genuine currency. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is probably...
, prompting him to throw the petrol bomb into Inspector Monroe's temporary office where the money was being stored overnight. Unknown to Des, contractors in the process of refurbishing the station had left gas canisters in the office. Eventually, the canisters ignited and sent an explostion hurtling through the station, killing six officers who were having a party in an office on the first floor. The contractors had locked the fire exits after their equipment had been stolen, preventing those inside escaping.
The episode attracted over eight million viewers, and was the first of the few times computer generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
had been used on the show. The imagery was used because producing a real explosion and fireball ripping through the station corridors was not possible.
Six regular cast members were removed as a result of the fire:
- Uniformed Inspector Andrew Monroe 1990-2002
- Uniformed Constable Di Worrell 1999-2002
- Uniformed Constable Ben Hayward 2000-2002
- Uniformed Constable Sam Harker 1997-2002
- Detective Constable Paul Riley 2000-2002
- Detective Constable Kate Spears 2000-2002