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The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. Flames soon appeared on the walls on either side of the stage and spread quickly along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling, intended to dampen sound. The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos 98 PHOTOS More Stories Has fire prevention in RI improved since The Station fire? Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. Scott James: He writes up this long, almost a manifesto about all the things that he thinks are wrong in that foam company that led to this tragedy. That was his gift. On February 20, 2003 at about 11:10 p.m., Jody King got a call that something was going on at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. The club was not equipped with sprinklers, according to the NIST, and crowding at the buildings main entrance made it difficult for people to escape. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. You should be proud." He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. [8], Great White had two opening acts for the February 20 concert: Trip, a group from Vancouver, Washington, and Fathead, a local Rhode Island band. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. DEE SNIDER Defends GREAT WHITE Over Deadly Concert Fire: 'They Would I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. That's how thick the smoke was. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. At least 64 others were also sued, including the state of Rhode Island citedforthe fire inspector's failure to report the flammable foam during multiple inspections. [15][16] All the members of Trip escaped the Station without injury, but two members of Fathead, cousins Keith and Steven Mancini, died in the fire. For more information on your department or district joining the SAVE program click here or contact the California Fire Foundation at save@cpf.org or (916) 641-1707. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. Purchase and sale had been signed. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. "[91], Two years to the day after the fire, band members Russell and Kendall, along with Great White's attorney, Ed McPherson, appeared on CNN's Larry King Live with three survivors of the fire and the father of Longley, to discuss how their lives had changed since the incident. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. In February 2008, Providence television station. American Foam Corporation, who sold the insulation to The Station nightclub, agreed in 2008 to pay $6.3 million to settle lawsuits relating to the fire. Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. He don't know. 'We've been trying to move forward': Station nightclub fire survivor on That's when I turned back. [49][50], Lynch told 48 Hours that his investigation found that the fire spread quickly due to the foam the Derderians had installed in the Station's walls and ceilings as a response to noise complaints. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And why wasn't the foam company charged? Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. [80], A permanent memorial at the site of the fire has been erected and named the Station Fire Memorial Park. Two years after the fire at The Station nightclub, the Derderians learned about a piece of evidence they say is important that was never presented to the grand jury: an eight-page fax sent to the Attorney General's Office anonymously just months after the fire entitled "The Fire. They all later accepted plea deals. [26] The Cowesett Inn restaurant across the street from the Station acted as an ad-hoc burn triage and command center for first responders. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. fine against Station Nightclub owners upheld", "Station nightclub fire survivor tells how she's moved on in new book", "The Station fire took emotional toll on survivors, study finds", "Tentative $30 million deal in R. I. nightclub fire", "TV station that assigned reporter to cover his own nightclub raises ethical issue", "Station Video Spurs Lawsuit - Pollstar News", "Nightclub owner resigns from WPRI television", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire: Appendices (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 2", "Grand Jury Convened to Probe Deadly R.I. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th anniversary One hundred people were killed and many more injured when a pyrotechnic display caused a massive blaze in 2003.. Jeff Derderian: Why is it OK that the fire marshal is allowed to miss something or make a mistake and what he did was just an oops, but what we did was criminal? Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. That was in like the 80s. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. I couldn't get up. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. I never imagined that anyone ever would be. I found my soul was wanting.. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. He says he managed to escape through the front door before a stampede of people got stuck in the narrow hallway and blocked the exit. Jeff Derderian: I remember we were trying to get people away from the building. The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. Cassidy was questioned by Customs and Border Protection in 2016, three sources familiar with the probe . Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who is featured in a REELZ documentary about the Warwick, Rhode Island Station nightclub fire, which killed some 100 attendees of a Great White concert in 2003, He trusted in his friends. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. Michael Derderian: No. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Even if he died trying. [85] By April 2016, $1.65 million of the $2 million fundraising goal had been achieved and construction of the Station Fire Memorial Park had commenced. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". [76] The Rhode Island state fire code was changed after the fire to require every nightclub in the state with a capacity of over 150 people to have a sprinkler system installed.[3]. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. [93] After a 2013 legal settlement between the two parties, Kendall's band retained the Great White name, while Russell's band was allowed to use the name Jack Russell's Great White. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. And if we could change it, we would. [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. Scott James: And the nightclub operator there was so angry when he saw what had happened in Rhode Island, he went public, and he even made public the contract that he had with Great White that showed there was no evidence of fireworks that were going to be part of the show. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. Inspection records showed that just three months before the fire, the Derderians had been cited by the local fire marshal for having a secondary, interior door by the stage that opened inward, which violated regulations. I figured I was on my own at that point.. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. Jim Axelrod: If you have a message that you want the people of Rhode Island to hear, there were plenty of ways to get it out long before now. It had to be two minutes tops before the whole place was black smoke. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. However, on September 21, 2006, Judge Darigan announced that the brothers had changed their pleas from "not guilty" to "no contest," thereby avoiding a trial. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Two decades after 100 people were killed in the West Warwick, R.I. fire, those affected by the incident are reflecting on that tragic night. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. And he's like he don't know. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? And he says you can. He trusted the owners. In an exclusive interview with "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod, the Derderians said they wanted to set the record straight and reveal new information about that foam and accountability. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. There was a table in the way at the door, and I pulled that out just to get it out of the way so people could get out easier. [62], In a letter to the victims' families, Judge Darigan wrote that he accepted the deal because he wanted to avoid "Public exposition of the tragic, explicit and horrific events experienced by the victims of this fire, both living and dead. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. Out of it. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. "Literally laid there and said, 'God please just take care of my family,' because I knew I was going to die,'" survivor Linda Saran recalls. Scott James: It should not have happened. Absolutely not. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." The message is, Dont forget. Never forget these people or forget what happened., Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". The Station nightclub in West Warwick burned down on Feb. 20, 2003, during a concert by rock band Great White, leaving 100 people dead and more than 200 injured. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". "[58] The state parole board received approximately twenty letters, the majority of which expressed their sympathy and support for Biechele, some going as far as to describe him as a "scapegoat" with limited responsibility. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. This is solid gasoline. Firefighters responded within five minutes, and the building was fully engulfed within six minutes, according to a timeline assembled by WPRI. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. there are other people who should be responsible. Jody King: They blamed three. JEFF DERDERIAN [crying]: Many people didn't make it out and that is a horror that will haunt my family and I for the rest of our lives. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. That specific. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. Station nightclub fire survivor tells burn victims love can happen amid scars, fears: Joe Kinan has had more than 120 surgeries, not the least of which was a hand transplant. Tweet. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. [2] The follow-up inspection in December 2002 also did not cite the foam, and the inspector gave the building an "All OK" rating on his inspection form. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. Flames can be seen on the back wall. Nine friends didnt. Michael Derderian: He finds the deficiencies, you have to correct the deficiencies and then signs off so that you so you can get your liquor license that happened in 2000. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. [29] The initial death toll was 96 people; Four more individuals died in the hospital in the weeks following, bringing the toll to 100. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. Like, "get away from the building." The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . [2] The club was cited for nine minor code violations during the first inspection in November 2002, but was not cited for the flammable polyurethane foam the venue used for soundproofing, which was against code. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. I look at my scars every day. [12] Great White's popularity had waned in the decade prior to the Station fire, and they had been performing on a touring circuit of small clubs with capacities of up to 500 people. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? [90] Russell planned to donate the proceeds to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, but the organization asked to be disassociated from the concert, citing the animosity still felt by many of the survivors and surviving families. America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List explores the Station nightclub fire through gripping survivor accounts and family members and friends of victims who have memorialized their loss through pursuits ranging from an exhibit of commemorative body art to re-immersion in the rock culture that initially brought them and their loved ones Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. There had to be that period for me. About 40 seconds after the song began, Great White stopped the show and all but one member of the band escaped through the stage door exit. Scott James: The fire alarm you hear it kick in. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. [9] Jeffrey Derderian said the door was also installed due to noise, and they had removed it as asked, but sometimes re-installed it if the venue was going to be loud that night, and it was used by the band to escape the building during the fire. [34], Providence Phoenix columnist Ian Donnis wrote of the effect that the fire had on the close-knit Rhode Island community, "The loss of so much life would represent a tragedy anywhere, but it struck especially hard in Rhode Island, the nation's smallest state, where no place is more than an hour away by car and the fire claimed one tenth of one percent of the state's population. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. [103], Inspired by the fire, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act has been proposed United States Senate and House of Representatives since 2003. That night is not a coherent memory for her, she said, but a sequence of moments when she was hyper-focused on finding her friends or helping those around her. So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. About The Guest List One of them is never say die, never give up. Nightclub Fire", "3 indicted in R.I. rock concert fire - UPI Archives", "The Derderians are on a 'white-wash tour' about The Station fire, says father who lost son", "The strange and terrible true story of Great White, and the Station nightclub fire", "3 Men Are Indicted in Fire At Rhode Island Nightclub", "Foam company offers Station nightclub fire plaintiffs $6.3M settlement", "DAN BIECHELE SPEAKS Pre-Sentencing Statement GREAT WHITE TOUR MANAGER Station Nightclub Fire RI", "Fury, Tears and 4-Year Term in Deadly Blaze", "Band manager who ignited deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire freed from prison", "Manager Sentenced for Rhode Island Nightclub Fire", "Many families of Station fire victims supporting parole for band manager", "Band manager who ignited R.I. club fire is freed", "After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla", "Derderians will plead; AG says he opposes sentencing deal", "2 Brothers to Plead No Contest in R.I. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. Jeff Derderian: Because in my mind I had nothing to hide. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. In 2017 a memorial was opened to honor the100 innocent lives that were tragically lost in The Station fire, including Tracy King, who died saving so many others. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. It was already in contract. [21], Among those who died in the fire were Great White guitarist Ty Longley, and the show's emcee, WHJY DJ Mike "The Doctor" Gonsalves. Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. I went around back. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. I'll be right back." And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. So, before I knew it, this finger was contractured down in this position and the rest of them were all bent backwards because the skin had tightened up.". The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. The TIAs required automatic fire sprinklers in all existing nightclubs and similar locations that accommodate more than 100 occupants, and all new locations in the same categories. I ran across the room and I ran face-first into the wall. Stephen Sweet, a Quincy firefighter who lost his cousin Shawn Sweet in the fire, came to play the bagpipes at a memorial ceremony Monday, WCVB reported. Biechele was released from prison in 2008 after some families of the victims expressed their support for his parole. it became very, very hard to breathe. I'm going to do this. [61], In January 2008, the Parole Board decided to grant Michael Derderian an early release; he was scheduled to be released from prison in September 2009, but was granted his release in June 2009 for good behavior.[64]. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. On Feb. 20, 2003, 100 people were killed and more than 200 others were injured in a fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see Great White, an 80s band now with some new members lead by singer Jack Russell and known mainly for their hit "Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Jody King: I spent the next five or six hours going back and forth in the parking lot talking to firemen, asking firemen, "can you please pull the sheets back for me? It was really everything to me at that time. [9] Michael Derderian told 48 Hours that it was "Undisputable" that the building's use of flammable packing foam instead of flame retardant sound foam was the cause of the fire's spread, but the brothers claimed that they had ordered sound foam and had received the packing foam instead. She got out. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. It was liquid fire," says former Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who investigated the disaster. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. / CBS News. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." However, fire professionals have few choices about what training should be provided and training programs are continually updated to incorporate new technologies as well as lessons learned from actual fire experiences. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. It was criminal, he says. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. Linda Saran: The bar got quiet because people were dying literally and all you could hear was the roar of the fire and liquor bottles exploding. I miss Tina a lot. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. They all came so every single one of those hundred students held up a white rose and they represented one of the 100 [who died]. Great White was part of the lawsuit. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. undisputable. At first, there was no panic. Jeff Derderian: They didn't even bring up the fax to him. The brothers, however, find that hard to believe considering the foam covered the walls, ceiling and even the inward swinging door he cited as a violation. Jeff Derderian, seated right, says, "You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form.". Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. 9. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. [48] Larocque had set various capacities for the Station in the years prior to the fire based on whether pool tables and other items could be moved. And I hear [moves her arms to the side with a whoosh] and out Deb went. Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, the owners of the Station, pleaded no contest and avoided a trial: Michael received the same sentence as Biechele and was released from prison in 2009, while Jeffrey received a sentence of 500 hours of community service. As were going down the stairs to get into the comedy club, in the heart of Times Square, the first thought that goes through my mind: I come back and look and go: Are there two exits down there? she said. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. And I'm like, "OK.". Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. [43][45], An investigation of the fire by a Rhode Island state grand jury was started by then-Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch on February 26, 2003. Jody King: He was gregarious. "We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out," says Jody King, whose brother worked at The Station as a bouncer.