2002 Sun Hill Fire

This article contains major spoilers, discretion is advised

The Sun Hill fire was one of the most high-profile storylines in the history of The Bill. The second of three incidents involving major damage and loss of life occurred in 2002, and killed six regular cast members. The fire was part of a cast revamp that saw the departure of three other cast members, with new executive producer Paul Marquess looking to bring a fresh angle to the cast amid a ratings plunge. It also saw several brand new cast members introduced between Episode 012 and Episode 038. The plot was also used to renovate the Sun Hill Police Station set, which had been the same since the previous fire in 1990 which was used to account for the move to the Merton set.

Prologue[]

Polly's Depression[]

In Set in Stone, PC Dave Quinnan is asked to investigate a series of vandalism attacks at a graveyard, with the prime suspects a group of addicts in a neighbouring community centre. Quinnan determines they aren't involved, and grows close to the woman running the group, Liz Terry (Sara Stockbridge). When ex-girlfriend and best friend Polly Page & Tony Stamp discover she is an ex-prostitute, Dave falls out with both, but quickly makes up with Tony. He then convinces Dave to make up with Polly, and they eventually make up.

In Quinnan 2, Superintendent Tom Chandler asks Dave to go undercover to ensnare a human trafficker by the name of Kreshnik Berisha. Chandler asks Quinnan to pair with DS Debbie McAllister, posing as a married couple running a hotel. Dave is furious after Debbie's dodgy undercover alias when Mickey Webb was undercover with a gang of football hooligans nearly blew the operation. He asks Chandler to enlist the help of Polly instead, and after some persuasion from Dave she agrees - but remarks that him blurting out that he didn't want to work with McAllister as she walked in on his conversation with Page - meant she wouldn't want to do it anyway.

Polly and Dave grow closer undercover and he proposes, and says he will transfer to SO10 if she rejects it. Berisha is arrested after he holds Polly & Dave hostage, along with undercover partners PCs Reg Hollis and Jim Carver. When an undercover immigration officer learns his sister is set for deportation, he realizes Berisha will have her killed, and shows up in the yard as Berisha is about to go to court to shoot him dead. Polly rejects Dave's proposal, and he says he doesn't want to see her again. In Episode 001, Sergeant June Ackland and PC Jim Carver convince Polly to go on stress leave. She returns in Episode 006, but remains deeply depressed and distracted at work.

Race Riots & Conway's Murder[]

In Episode 002. DS Vik Singh & DC Danny Glaze investigate a racially motivated arson attack on a corner shop. Later in the episode, Singh is confronted in a pub by racist Jeff Simpson and his friend Ian Burrows. Burrows spits in Singh's pint, but both leave when Danny shows up. Glaze goes into the bathroom, agreeing to stay with Singh and have a pint. Singh goes outside and starts beating up Simpson with a piece of wood, and Glaze intervenes to stop Singh killing Simpson. Glaze tries to convince Singh to tell DCI Jack Meadows the truth when they are put on the assault case. Singh refuses and Simpson threatens him and Glaze, starting with a package containing a cardboard coffin, with a large red stain on a teddy bear wearing a police uniform with a note saying YOU NEXT. When a bike rider lobs a petrol bomb at Singh, Glaze and Stamp, Glaze tells Singh he will go to Meadows if Singh doesn't.

The following day, Chandler lies to Chief Inspector Derek Conway that he needs to him go to a community meeting on the Asian occupied Jasmine Allen Estate about not taking action against an upcoming Neo-Nazi march. Chandler claims he has a council meeting, but is actually meeting girlfriend DC Kate Spears to have sex. Spears' best friend Mickey Webb goes with Conway, and both leave the meeting feeling it went well. As the pair go their separate ways, Webb watches on in horror as a bike speeds past, with the pillion rider throwing a petrol bomb into Conway's Panda Car. The car explodes, killing Conway instantly.

The following day, Chandler orders the relief to pull in all Neo Nazi and Asian suspects for questioning. Webb & PC Des Taviner discover from a white supremacist that their ringleader was assaulted by two black cops. Mickey and Kate discover Simpson's assault file, and know the only officers who dealt with Simpson were Glaze & Singh. They question both of them, but neither Glaze nor Singh crack. When they see Glaze calling Singh, they feel they have enough to take the case to Meadows. Furious, the DCI finds Singh interrogating Simpson, and after assaulting him again, they have to bail Simpson. Meadows is almost certain Simpson is the prime suspect for Conway's murder, and tells Singh he will see him finished. Before the DS can face charges or an inquiry, he resigns. Meadows blasts him as a coward and kicks him out of Sun Hill.

Following the death of Conway, long term friend Inspector Andrew Monroe started a collection for Conway's widow, Sandra. She is brought in to collect Derek's belongings, and June comforts her when she breaks down leaving the station. Sandra calls Chandler a spineless coward and says she won't give her husband a police funeral, stating "You took his life, you're not having his death too." Sandra asks June to come to the funeral, and she invites Jim. Chandler becomes talk of the canteen when he donates £50 to the collection. Taviner is furious his nemesis is getting all the attention, but has no money to contribute. When Des and Reg go after vandals taunting Sun Hill's relief about Conway's death, Des captures the ringleader. The youth has £200 in drug money on his person, so he lets him go, 'confiscating' the £50s. He then gives one to Monroe, and steals the limelight from Chandler. When he gives one to Reg to do his dry cleaning, it is revealed the 50s are counterfeit. Des is determined to get the money back, but when a near riot caused by an Asian suspect's arrest kicks off outside the station, Chandler gets Scotland Yard to cancel the Neo Nazi march.

The Fire[]

The events of Episode 008 begin with Chandler knowing the supremacists won't take it well, and thus sends the relief out to maintain calm on the streets. The van comes under attack, and when youths are seen loitering around an Asian owned warehouse, Chandler sends in Ackland & Carver. Ackland is abducted by the gang, and Carver rushes in, assaulting the suspects. Chandler orders the relief to move in, and then stands them down following the arrests. Kate tells Mickey she plans to bring Chandler down by exposing his affair. During a confrontation Chandler tries kissing her, but she knees him in the groin, telling him he's finished. The relief have a party in CID, then head to the pub, but Kate stays there with PCs Sam Harker, Ben Hayward & Di Worrell, and DC Paul Riley.

The power goes out, and Monroe leaves his office. Taviner notices the money left on the desk, but can't get in. As a gang of rioters start lobbing petrol bombs at the station, TSG show up to bust the attack. Meanwhile, Des catches one of them scaling the yard wall, but while he fails to restrain them he manages to steal their bag. Finding a petrol bomb, Des realizes he can blame an arson attack on the rioters, with the front interview rooms already alight. He breaks the window to Monroe's office and throws the bomb in, but turns to see Sam standing on the CID balcony. He goes to double check that the office is gutted, and spots two gas canisters left by decorator Harry Fullerton. He spots the flames crawling towards them, and runs back - yelling at Sam to get clear. The canisters ignite, and a massive explosion tears through the side of the building.

Aftermath[]

At the beginning of Episode 009, Chandler announces that Monroe, Worrell, Hayward and Riley all died on arrival to hospital, while Harker and Spears are in critical condition. Des and Polly are put under observation, but she reveals to Tony that she took an overdose. She tells him not to tell anyone, but he furiously confronts June after discovering she turned an emotional Polly away. June shows up at the hospital and tells Polly to take long term leave. Des and Cass Rickman hold a vigil at Sam's bedside, but Cass is unaware that Des has an ulterior motive. As Danny & DC Duncan Lennox hunt for suspects, and Simpson in particular, Kate dies of her injuries. Mickey goes off the rails and publicly blames Chandler at the press conference announcing the five deaths. Meadows tells Mickey he has to be discreet, but that he has no issue with destroying Chandler and his reputation, especially after Mickey tells him about Chandler having sex with Kate while Conway was killed. As it starts appearing that Sam could pull through in Episode 010, Des decides he'll tell Reg he started the fire. Just as he starts to confess, Cass watches on in horror as Sam dies as the result of a cardiac arrest.

Des returns to work in the following episode as MIT start crawling around, and Detective Superintendent Susan Devlin immediately offends the relief with a theory it could be an inside job. Chandler asks Des to carry the Met standard flag at the funeral, but while a guilty Des is reluctant, Chandler demands he does it. At the funeral, Mickey storms out, not wanting to hear Chandler 'spouting crap' about the victims, and Kate in particular. Prior to the funerals, decorator Harry Fullerton - who had locked the fire doors before the blaze to cause more fatalities than could've been the case - tells Reg that he told Des he cut the CCTV cables: Des denies it, despite it being true. Fullerton then confesses to Reg after the funerals, and he is arrested.

During the funeral, ex-Chief Superintendent Charles Brownlow and Sergeant Bob Cryer returned to attend the service.

Arrests and Trial[]

With Fullerton arrested, Des is left feeling guilty. He wants to get him off, knowing he's a 'crank'. Des partners with Danny and they are both determined to nail Jeff Simpson, proving Fullerton's alibi and suspecting he simply wanted the attention. However, in his final appearance, Fullerton admitted to close friend Reg that he felt he had to pay the price for his cannisters causing the blaze, and his locking of the fire doors worsening the fatality list. When Des and Danny later crack Simpson's alibi and find the bike involved in Conway's murder, Simpson's right-hand man Ian Burrows admits riding the bike and names Simpson as Conway's killer. With just a single eyewitness and the fire case nowhere near proven, Des knows the only way to nail Simpson is to plant evidence. When Simpson is detained, Des creates a confession and Danny reluctantly agrees to go along with it, with Simpson subsequently charged on seven counts of murder.

Before the trial, Simpson gets Des to meet him in prison. After getting yobs to smash up the Area Car, he tells Des he will abduct Reg if he doesn't tell the truth. Des refuses, and Reg is kidnapped. As the trial kicks off, uniform and CID spring into action to locate Reg. After a ransom note references 'dead meat', they find Reg in an abandoned slaughterhouse, but he sets fire to it to escape. When they link the suspect's phone call to Simpson's brief, he changes his plea and conspiracy charges for kidnapping, attempted murder and perverting the course of justice are added.

Long Term Aftermath[]

After going on stress leave, Des feels increasingly guilty and confesses to Reg. Despite his doubts, Reg decides not to hand Des in when his best friend attempts suicide. Des ultimately returns to work and moves on, and over a year after the blaze he establishes a close relationship with Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy, who falls pregnant with his child. At the same time, ex-DI Sally Johnson returns, now a private investigator hired by Jeff Simpson, and Danny swiftly resigns when Johnson puts pressure on about him committing perjury. Johnson later tells her former boss Meadows that Simpson doesn't deny killing Conway, but tells him she thinks Des started the fire, while Danny begins to suspect Des when he has it out with him before leaving. When Des confesses to Sheelagh, she contemplates telling Superintendent Adam Okaro, and a series of coincidences leads Des to believe she has gone to New Scotland Yard with Okaro. Losing control in pursuit of a thug robbing the elderly, with one of the victim's wife dying of shock, Des chases the suspect into a warehouse, and crashes into a pile of chemical barrels that cause a massive explosion. Sergeant Dale Smith pulls Reg out of the blaze, but the suspect dies and Des disappears. Sheelagh later tells Okaro about Des confessing to the blaze after forensics prove his body wasn't in the remains of the warehouse.

With Des on the run, Sheelagh's gives birth to her baby, a girl called Niamh. However, Niamh dies as a result of a hole in her heart, and Des is devastated when he returns to discover his daughter has died. He re-encounters Reg for the first time since the crash at the chapel of rest, where he goes to say goodbye to his daughter. He escapes and kidnaps PC Cameron Tait when Reg lets slip he was babysitting Niamh when she died. He also kidnaps Sheelagh, but ends up letting both of them go - telling Cameron he felt Niamh's death is god punishing him for taking six lives in the fire. Reg thinks Des has gone for good, but shows up one final time to apologize, only to be arrested. Overcrowding sees Des paired with an unstable suspect, and he is beaten to death before he could be questioned. In the spin-off episode The Bill Uncovered: Des & Reg, Des has a tape delivered to Reg where he apologizes for his wrongdoings and admits what his friendship with Reg meant, and it provides a degree of closure to Reg. It is was never revealed if Simpson was cleared for the fire following the exposure and death of Des, but his confession and evidence in his murder of Conway likely wouldn't have overturned his conviction - rather changed his murder count from seven to one.

Related Storylines[]

The fire was used as a springboard to turn The Bill into a serial drama similar to that of a soap opera, and so some plots were launched in the wake of the fire that lasted for months, sometimes years. Des getting his comeuppance for an example, did not have a real conclusion until the spring of 2004, almost two years after the blaze commenced.

Chandler's Downfall[]

DC Mickey Webb blamed Superintendent Tom Chandler for the deaths, notably his best friend Kate Spears. He and DCI Jack Meadows, whose own best friend Derek Conway died as a result of what they deemed to be Chandler's inaction in the race riot, led them to plot their boss' downfall. They discovered Chandler raped his best friend's late sister Louise Marsden when he was still at Hendon, but encountered considerable bumps along the way to prove it including Chandler assaulting his own brother and the rape witness James Chandler, a false allegation by Chandler's ex-girlfriend Anne Merrick (Judy Holt) and her subsequent suicide, Mickey being briefly transferred to Barton Street and DS Debbie McAllister (to whom Meadows was very protective of) falling for Chandler - getting pregnant and engaged in the process. CIB ultimately accepted James Chandler's statement and a witness account by Chandler's old friend and accomplice DAC Gordon Cooper. However, before Chandler could be arrested, he took Debbie hostage at gunpoint intent on ending her life, his and that of their unborn child. Chandler would ultimately commit suicide, and while his son Andrew was born premature, he pulled through and Debbie agreed to raise him - after initial reluctance due to the connection to Chandler.

Nick's Addiction and Rivalry with Phil[]

PCs Nick Klein & Cass Rickman started partying hard to "live life to the full" after the fire. Nick became a full on addict after being coerced into taking cocaine whilst undercover with DS Phil Hunter, but Cass stopped after a man she met clubbing who reminded her of Sam died of an overdose. The rivalry between Phil and Nick peaked when Phil had a fling with a gangster's wife and daughter, and when he vowed revenge, Phil falsely identified Nick as himself and he was savagely beaten as a result. Soon after leaving hospital, Nick was rumbled by Cass for doing coke on duty, but Nick cruelly said Cass meant nothing to him and left her heartbroken. Both struggled to make amends the following day but both knew the other wanted to make peace after realizing they had fallen in love with one another, but Cass was slain by a serial killer who was later identified as the sister of her boyfriend Simon - Nick devastated after finding Cass on the banks of the River Thames. Nick entered a deep depression and became more dependent to cocaine, and after meeting Sergeant Matt Boyden's drug-addicted daughter Amy through his dealer, he became hooked on crack. PCs Jim Carver and Gary Best exposed Nick, who was sent for a spell in rehab. Upon his return, Nick was drawn back to Dennis Weaver, whose wife Christine had an illegitimate daughter with DS Phil Hunter. Nick used this knowledge to get Phil off his back during the peak of their feud, but remembering how much Phil enjoyed making Nick suffer throughout the ordeal saw him seek revenge. Nick did a DNA test to expose Phil, whose wife Cindy exposed the affair and paternity to Dennis - who swore to murder Phil. Nick and Cindy hatched a plan that saw Phil left alone after abandoning Christine, Cindy lulling Phil with a false promise to reunite. Phil got revenge by exposing Nick's drug use to Weaver when he witnessed a murder, but despite Nick being forcibly injected with heroin, he agreed to give evidence. A failed sting with Weaver arranging a hit on Nick saw him enter witness protection permanently, and a few weeks later Dennis failed in a revenge plot against Phil, who despite being shot by Dennis fatally gunned his rival down after being held at gunpoint in an abandoned Tube tunnel. Phil survived his ordeal but Nick's fate was never revealed, likely staying in permanent witness protection due to Weaver's lengthy list of associates. This was the second-longest plot tied into the station fire, with its origins going as far back as Episode 014 and not concluding completely until Episode 220.

Kerry/Luke/Craig Love Triangle[]

PC Luke Ashton returned to Sun Hill after three years away following the station fire and soon fell for PC Kerry Young. However, Luke began having conflicting feelings when he learned Sergeant Craig Gilmore had a crush on him, sharing a kiss in what was a historic scene for the series. The relationship was far from straightforward, Luke feeling Craig was borderline stalking him, constantly in his business and telling him he had to come out for Kerry's sake. Luke refused to, going as far as getting engaged to Kerry to put Craig off. He ultimately accepted Luke's decision when his confidante and Inspector Gina Gold realised Craig was harbouring feelings towards Luke. However, Kerry almost called it off when Craig's boyfriend Carl broke into their home, stole Kerry's ring and crank called her to persuade her to dump Luke. After stealing Craig's car and flipping it onto its roof, becoming partially paralyzed as a result, Carl told Kerry to end it with Luke - but Craig finally acted in Luke's interests by putting Kerry off the scent. However, on the night of Luke's stag do, Luke ended up sleeping with Craig whilst drunk. Gina found them but agreed to keep quiet, and did so again after Kerry saw an emotional Luke holding Craig's hand after he was assaulted, the assault proving the catalyst for a depressed Craig to leave Sun Hill. Soon after Luke married Kerry and she fell pregnant, her doubts resurfaced and she ultimately learned Luke had slept with Craig. She opted out of an abortion but later miscarried, both of them heartbroken as a result, and Kerry decided not to continue her marriage with Luke. He tried to convince her to reunite but she slept with returning Sergeant Dale Smith - Luke's rival from his days as a PC - and after trying to get an armed robber to shoot him during a siege, Luke decided to transfer out of Sun Hill - just as Kerry tried reuniting with him.

June & Jim's Romance[]

Prior to the blaze, Sergeant June Ackland began developing feelings towards PC Jim Carver, who she trained as a probationer almost 20 years prior. They tried embarking on a relationship after the fire, but June learned she was being selected to run the new Community Safety Unit and decided not to continue it. Jim tried joining her but she sought a younger team, however her error with a repeated hoax caller left the woman assaulted, and Jim blackmailed her with negligence allegations to get into CSU. Things were tense for the first few weeks, but after June apologised to Jim for throwing a mug at him during a row, the feelings re-emerged. Things were quite serious by the end of 2002, but June planted doubt in Jim's mind when a false claim by PC Cathy Bradford that recovering alcoholic Jim got drunk during an OBBO at a pub left June questioning of him. She apologised for it but when she later proposed, Jim turned her down, the seed of doubt still lingering in Jim's mind. When he got drunk under the pressure of being FLO when DC Eva Sharpe's daughter went missing, Jim proposed himself, but once he was sober he ended the relationship feeling he couldn't marry anyone. A coincidence left June thinking there was hope when she went on a vacation, but Jim would fall for victim of crime Marie Graham when he was assigned as her FLO when her daughter Sonia was shot dead amid allegations of sleeping with pupils she taught. In the time June was away, Marie fell hard for Jim and proposed, and June was heartbroken after finding the ring and thinking he was going to propose to her. The pair were left locked in a cellar with PCs Tony Stamp and Polly Page on the day of Jim's wedding, but while June almost talked him round, Jim got married. However, it was soon established Jim was being domestically abused by Marie, and June learned this on Halloween night when he she found him in casualty with a cut forehead. She tried to talk him round but was distracted by news DC Juliet Becker had been admitted with stab wounds, later dying as a result. An assault by PC Gabriel Kent, which he made look like one by Marie, caused Jim to file for divorce and take her to court. Despite a positive result that saw Marie seek treatment and avoid prison, she was sectioned off-screen soon after and lost custody of her son Ben. Jim would later get drawn back to June when she was nearly killed being run over by Tony in the Area Car, and despite initial reluctance, she accepted his proposal. Jim soon became addicted to gambling, ruining an early retirement for June and their marriage in the process, but following the death of Marie due to exposure while June was away on a cruise, Jim sought to reunite. June resented Jim and embarked on an affair with PC Roger Valentine, but when it was exposed in the wake of the third station fire just three years after the second, Jim decided to leave Sun Hill after 21 years. This plot was the longest tie-in to the 2002 fire, the first hint of a romance coming in Episode 003 and Jim's exit after his marriage to June coming in Episode 289a.

Cast Changes[]

The primary premise of the plot was to overhaul a cast deemed stale during a ratings plunge. This list does not include those who exited in plots that followed the fire, however it is worth noting that all characters introduced by executive producer Paul Marquess' predecessor Richard Handford had all been axed by the time his second station fire plot occurred in 2005, many as a result of plots that stemmed from the '02 station fire's aftermath.

Departures[]

PC Dave Quinnan transferred to SO10 in Quinnan 6. While his departure wasn't related to the fire, it caused Polly Page's breakdown and temporary departure.
Chief Inspector Derek Conway was killed in a petrol bomb attack Episode 005, as part of Jeff Simpson's revenge for being beaten up by DS Vik Singh. Singh resigned before he could be fired in Episode 006.
The fire itself claimed the lives of six Sun Hill officers. Inspector Andrew Monroe, PC Di Worrell, PC Ben Hayward & DC Paul Riley all died in Episode 008, with their deaths revealed at the beginning of Episode 009. Kate Spears was last seen in episode 008, but her death happened later in episode 009. Tania Emery did not appear in 009, her appearance was limited to mentions. PC Sam Harker was also killed in the fire, but died of his injuries in his final appearance Episode 010. Matthew Crompton was cast for 009 & 010, unlike the other five who weren't cast in 009; most of his scenes were non-speaking.
PC Polly Page wasn't killed in the fire, but she signed off on long term sick leave after a breakdown, following a heartbreak at the hands of Dave Quinnan. Lisa Geoghan was signed off on maternity leave and she returned as Polly in Episode 097

Arrivals[]

The Bill New Cast 2002 — Some of the new characters to join following the fire.

Ten new cast members were introduced following the blaze to replace those written out. The exception was a new Station Reception Officer, the first established front office receptionist the series had, although the rank of uniform Chief Inspector was axed following the death of Derek Conway. This list contains police officers only; several recurring non-police characters were cast throughout the year for the plots that came in the aftermath of the blaze such as Mark Letheren as journalist Simon Kitson and Georgia Moffett as Abigail Nixon.

DC Eva Sharpe, played by Diane Parish, made her first appearance in Episode 012.
PC Gary Best, played by Ciaran Griffiths, made his first appearance in Episode 020.
DC Ken Drummond & Inspector Gina Gold, played by Russell Floyd & Roberta Taylor, made their first appearances in Episode 021.
PC Luke Ashton returned in Episode 022 after leaving three years earlier, while TDC Brandon Kane, played by Pal Aron, made his first appearance in the same episode.
PC Kerry Young, played by Beth Cordingly, made her first appearance in Episode 025.
DS Phil Hunter, played by Scott Maslen, made his first appearance in Episode 029.
SRO Roberta Cryer, played by Moya Brady, made her first appearance in Episode 033.
DS Samantha Nixon, played by Lisa Maxwell, made her first appearance in Episode 038.

Trivia[]

Another three officers left before 2002 ended, they were DI Alex Cullen, Superintendent Tom Chandler and PC Cass Rickman. Cullen was the only one who wasn't killed off.
This was one of two major cast clearances in The Bill, the other was in 2000 during the Don Beech Scandal.
Derek Conway (1988), Andrew Monroe (1990), Sam Harker (1997), were the longest serving cast members killed off.
The first episode related the fire was Set in Stone, and the last was Episode 201, however some plots that began in the wake of the fire ran as far as 2005.
The longest serving cast member in the new arrivals was DS Samantha Nixon, who stayed in the show for 7 years until her departure in 2009. Inspector Gina Gold was second closest with 6 years, departing in 2008. DS Phil Hunter was in third with five years, leaving in 2007.
- The shortest was PC Luke Ashton, who left in 122, exactly 100 episodes after his first appearance.