2002 Sun Hill Fire

This file contains major spoilers, discretion is advised

The Sun Hill fire was one of the most important storylines in The Bill. The first of two incidents involving major damage and loss of life occured in 2002, and killed six regular cast members, including another three episodes before, and also had the departure, totalling eight officers to be taken off the show, three of which were long term. It also saw several brand new cast members.

Prologue

In Episode: 001 Sergeant June Ackland and PC Jim Carver attend a fire at a flat above a corner store. DS Vik Singh believes it to be racially motivated, but the case does not start until Episode 002. DC Danny Glaze work on the case, and later in the episode whilst in a pub, Singh is confronted by racist Jeff Simpson, and when Danny shows up, Simpson leaves. As Glaze goes into the bathroom, and Singh goes outside and starts beating up Simpson with a piece of wood. Glaze intervenes and tries to convince Singh to tell DCI Jack Meadows the truth. Singh refuses and Simpson threatens him and Glaze, starting with a package of a cardboard coffin with a large red stain on a teddy bear wearing a police uniform with a note saying YOU NEXT. After escalating tensions and a supposed Neo-Nazi march through the Jasmine Allen Estate, a mainly Asian occupied estate, Superintendent Tom Chandler lies to Chief Inspector Derek Conway saying he has a council meeting so he can go have sex with girlfriend DC Kate Spears. DC Mickey Webb goes with Conway but after what appears to be a successful meeting, a bike appears and Webb watches in horror as a petrol bomb is lobbed into Conway's car, which explodes killing him instantly. Singh interviews Simpson but due to the beating the DS gave to Simpson, he gets off and Webb, Glaze and Spears tell Meadows, who interupts the interview telling Singh he is suspended, but he resigns.

The Fire

Supt Chandler and Insp Monroe briefing the Relief about the holding position

Tom Chandler arguing Kate Spears about their rocky relationship

Following the death of Chief Inspector Conway, long term friend Inspector Andrew Monroe started a collection for Conway's widow. Superintendent Chandler, a long term nemesis of Taviner, was seen as a hero as he donated 50 pounds to the collection as Des looked on disappointed as he had no money on him at the time. After arresting a youth drug dealer Des took 200 in 50s giving one to Monroe, as well as to Reg for him to give, but Hollis discovers they're fakes, leaving Des to frantically get rid of the fakes for real money. However, after failing to convince Monroe that he would deliver the money to Conway's widow, he had to think of other ideas. Although, stuck in the Area Car in a holding position, Des is left biting his fingers hoping Monroe won't notice the fakes. During the day painter and decorator Harry Fullerton puts two gas cannisters in Monroe's office because his equipment was going missing, causing anger from Monroe. When youths were noticed near an Asian owned warehouse so after Sergeant June Ackland and PC Jim Carver went in, Ackland was held hostage but Carver burst in as all units on site responded, and started beating up the suspects, so most youths surrendered. Back at the station DCI Meadows, DCs Webb, Glaze, Paul Riley & Chandler's girlfriend, which caused tension between Chandler and Webb (who was her best friend and hated Chandler because he sent Conway to a meeting he was supposed to go to, which caused Conway's death), DC Kate Spears as well as PCs Di Worrell, Ben Hayward, Cass Rickman & Sam Harker were relaxing in CID with a drink. Meadows, Webb, Glaze & Rickman went off to the pub, where everyone was planning to meet. and Rickman tells Harker that she doesn't want a relationship with him saying he's boring and he becomes depressed going out to the balcony with a bottle of wine. As Spears goes to confront Chandler saying she'll tell everyone about their affair and that he went to have sex with her as opposed to going to the meeting where Conway was killed. As he tries to silence her by kissing her attempting to have sex saying It's what you want she knees him in his ballsack and walks away smiling. As Ackland and Carver have an intimate moment, the power goes out. Outside Fullerton tells Des he cut the CCTV cables but Des doesn't believe him and walks away but threatens him when he says You're worried about that 50, aren't you?. Suddenly a petrol bomb flies into the rear yard as a riot occurs outside. Alarm bells ring as the officer try to work what was going on. Suddenly, a youth climbs over the wall but Des grabs him, but he leaves a bag with petrol bomb inside. Des smashed a window, unbeknown to him that Harker was looking from the CID balcony. Des lit the bomb and threw it into Monroe's office and turned to see Harker watching. Des checked the burning office and saw the gas cannisters. He ran back yelling to Harker Get back! as an explosion swept throughout the building via the corridor with the Sergeant's office and CID destroyed as well as part of the canteen.

The explosion about to rip through the CID balcony

The CID Balcony engulfed in flames

Aftermath

At the begginning of Episode 009, Chandler announces four officers died on arrival to hospital (Inspector Andrew Monroe, PCs Di Worrell & Ben Hayward and DC Paul Riley) and that Harker and Spears were in critical condition. Des and PC Polly Page were under observation, but Page who was shaken up about being heartbroken by PC Dave Quinnan, revealed to her friend PC Tony Stamp that she overdosed, so she takes leave. As the day goes on, Spears dies of her injuries, and her boyfriend/best friend Webb tells Meadows he wants Chandler out, and Meadows says he will, but only if it's done his way. Harker wakes up but can't speak, and Taviner considers shutting down his life support, but backs out. As Taviner considers telling Hollis about the fire, Harker dies, and shatters the almost destroyed emotions of Sun Hill officers. Two former cast returned for the funerals in Episode 012, they were ex-Chief Superintendent Charles Brownlow and ex-Sergeant Bob Cryer.

Arrests

Taviner gets away with fire, and insists that the decorator Fullerton doesn't go down because he knows he didn't start the fire, despite a confession. Glaze and Taviner decide to plant evidence on Simpson, and tell MIT he confessed, but when Des refuses to back off, Hollis is abducted. Simpson is connected when Reg is rescued, and he goes down for the fire and Conway's murder. However a year later whilst in a relationship with Sergeant  Sheelagh Murphy Des confesses his crime to her after Glaze resigns when Simpson's legal PI, ex DI Sally Johnson tries to uncover the truth. Des drives the Area Car into a warehouse causing an explosion in which he escapes, but Reg is pulled out by Sergeant Dale Smith, although the driver of the suspect vehicle is killed. Des is hunted by MIT when he returns to see his and Murphy's child, but their newborn daughter died from a hole in her heart. With nothing left, Des tries to leave London after seeing Hollis, but he is arrested. However, overcrowding in Sun Hill custody sees him put in with a manic depressive, who ends up beating him to death. It is unknown whether Simpson is cleared but it is likely not, due to the murder of Conway.

Full List of Departures

• PC Dave Quinnan: Left in Quinnan 6, departure caused Polly Page's breakdown
• Chief Inspector Derek Conway: Killed in Episode 005
• DS Vik Singh: Forced to resign in Episode 006
• Inspector Andrew Monroe: Killed in Episode 008, revealed in 009
• PC Di Worrell: Killed in Episode 008, revealed in 009
• PC Ben Hayward: Killed in Episode 008, revealed in 009
• DC Paul Riley: Killed in Episode 008, revealed in 009
• DC Kate Spears: Killed in Episode 009, last seen in Episode 008
• PC Sam Harker: Dies of injuries in Episode 010
• PC Polly Page: Takes long term leave, returns in 097

Arrivals

In Episode 012 the first new arrival joined, DC Eva Sharpe. She was the first of ten cast. There were three new PCs, two new DCs and a TDC, an Inspector and two DSs, as well as a Station Reception Officer.

• DC Eva Sharpe: First appearance in Episode 012
• PC Gary Best: First appearance in Episode 020
• DC Ken Drummond: First appearance in Episode 021
• Inspector Gina Gold: First appearance in Episode 021
• PC Luke Ashton: Returned in Episode 022
• TDC Brandon Kane: First appearance in Episode 022
• PC Kerry Young: First appearance in Episode 025
• DS Phil Hunter: First appearance in Episode 029
• SRO Roberta Cryer: First appearance in Episode 033
• DS Samantha Nixon: First appearance in Episode 038

Important/Intresting Facts

• 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 this episode was Quinnan 6, and the last was Episode 201.
• 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, with Inspector Gina Gold in second with 6 years, as she departed in 2008, and DS Phil Hunter in third with five years, when he left in 2007.
  • The shortest was PC Luke Ashton, who left in 122, exactly 100 episodes after his first appearance.
• This was one of two fires, both were set by officers who hadn't been in the show long when it happened, the second being the fire in 2005 set by disgruntled ex-PCSO Colin Fairfax.
• This episode's aftermath sparked several major storylines, including a gay relationship between Sergeant Craig Gilmore and PC Luke Ashton, the suicide of Tom Chandler when Meadows and Webb finally brought him down, the murder of Cass Rickman, which started when she fell out with PC Nick Klein over his coke habit, who started it to deal with the fire upset (which spiralled out of control in early season 19, as her death made Nick more depressed).