Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor.
The Station nightclub fire - Wikipedia A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. and I just kind of went down on my face. you could not see your hand in front of your face. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. 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 .
SAVE | California Fire Foundation At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. [17][16], The concert was emceed by Michael Gonsalves, a disk jockey for Providence rock radio station WHJY who was also known as "Doctor Metal". Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM She said she spent years after that in pain and anger. Jody King: He was gregarious. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. Jody King: When he walked into a room, if there wasn't a smile he'd start balancing stuff to get you uplifted and smiling. Jody King: I see the horror. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. The answer is no. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now.
Joshua Sanders, MS, IAAI-CFI on LinkedIn: ATF_NCETR on Twitter It all started around 11 p.m. when the rock band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and the group's tour manager, Daniel Biechele, set off four large fireworks called gerbs. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. In December 2003, nine months after the fire, Jeff and Michael Derderian were in court, each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter 100 for criminal negligence, and 100 for misdemeanor manslaughter. And they played the arenas. Patrick Lynch: Looking back on it I would say they ran it as a side business, an attempt to maybe make some extra money with the callous, utter disregard for those that work there and assemble there. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. [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.
The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. [9], Thousands of mourners attended an interfaith memorial service at St. Gregory the Great Church in Warwick on February 24, 2003, to remember those lost in the fire. 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. This trial was scheduled to start May 1, 2006, but Biechele, against his lawyers' advice,[52] pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter on February 7, 2006, in what he said was an effort to "bring peace, I want this to be over with."[52]. Patrick Lynch: Again, any reference in this conversation about what the brothers say, I I take a step back and think I don't really trust it. Since 2003, the approach of the anniversary of the Station fire, where she and her twin sister, Cara Ann, got out unhurt while 100 others died and about 200 more were injured, was four weeks of dread. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. ", Scott James: They had their moments. [42][43] The Station, which was built in 1946, was exempt from a sprinkler requirement in the state fire code through a grandfather clause, which stated that buildings constructed before 1976 were not required to have a sprinkler system. Vanner has no excuses. Patrick Lynch: The defendant had every right to go to trial and say, hey, if it's this mysterious fax that it's trying to be referenced today, 18 years later, hey, this is important. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. Stay up to date with everything Boston. I refused to accept that as the outcome. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. They should have blamed more. "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. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? Sparks from the gerbs ignited the insulation foam, and flames were visible on the wall above the stage within nine seconds of their ignition. According to author Scott James, Great White had reportedly used a large pyro display without permission at other clubs, including just days before the fire at a show in New Jersey. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. 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]. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. [27] A portion of the nightclub roof collapsed at 11:57 p.m., and a second portion in the building's sunroom collapsed at 12:07 a.m..[24] Patients were transported to Kent Hospital, which was filled to maximum capacity due to the fire. That specific. if I had nothing to hide, then why wouldn't you why wouldn't you talk to them and tell them what you knew or what you didn't know? Nightclub Fire", "Judge Accepts Plea Deal in Rhode Island Fire", "Co-owner of R.I. club where 100 died to be released early", "Band to pay $1M in case over deadly club fire", "Great White offers $1M to settle fatal fire suits", "Derderians reach settlement in nightclub fire", "Governments offer $20 million in RI nightclub fire", "Packaging company settles in R.I. nightclub fire", "McLaughlin & Moran, Anheuser-Busch offer $21M settlement in Station fire case", "Home Depot Settles In R.I. "[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. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. [7][8] They were best known for their 1989 cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. A true hero would have gone for it, Vanner said. 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 [9] American Foam refuted the claims in Warner's fax. Her bill was $646 that month, she said. [47] Larocque was not charged by the grand jury, as Lynch had cited a state law that prevented charges against fire marshals without proof of bad faith. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast. [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. Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. It fuels you. Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. But, you know, they have this following to this day . It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. [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. It's like a surge of bodies. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. 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. [25] Fire departments in Warwick, Coventry, and Cranston rendered mutual aid to the fire site.
Remembering the Station Nightclub Fire - ICC The morning after the fire, the lead singer of Great White, Jack Russell, claimed the brothers had given the band permission to set off the fireworks. There isn't a guilt in terms of like, that we knowingly did this or or caused it but there's a guilt that we it happened on our watch, happened on our watch. 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. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. I can't speak Everything was, you know, sore and hoarse I picked up the pen in very weak, you know, kind of handwriting I wrote, "I hope to make progress every day.". Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. It was completely preventable. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. 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. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. 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. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. [13], In February 2003, Great White was on an eighteen date concert tour, and they had been using a pyrotechnic display during their performances that some club owners had denied them permission to use, citing safety concerns. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. [24] The first West Warwick fire engine arrived at the scene at 11:13 p.m., followed by three other trucks shortly thereafter. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. It didn't have a lock on it. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. He was the. And he says you can. First of all, I don't know you would, how would you how would you accomplish the detail and the amount of new information in a news conference or, you know, a commercial or something that we would try and do on our own. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. That's how thick the smoke was. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. sentenced Biechele to fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probation, for his role in the fire. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people.
Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. Parole board chairwoman Lisa Holley told journalists of her surprise at the forgiving attitude of the families, saying, "I think the most overwhelming part of it for me was the depth of forgiveness of many of these families that have sustained such a loss. Jody King: They blamed three. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. "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.
The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. One guy did crawl out.
Survivors of The Station nightclub fire struggle with guilt 20 years According to Bostonherald.com, a memorial fund that raises money for survivors of The Station nightclub fire received at least $25,000 in donations after a benefit concert aired on television, organizers said today.. [9][10][8] At the time of their performance at the Station, Great White only had two of its original members in its lineup: Lead singer Jack Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. [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. Cold air washing over me. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. Many of the families believed that the punishment was just; others had hoped for a more severe sentence. His fiance, Tina Ayer, died at 33 in the fire, CBS Boston reported. Fifteen years from now, she hopes, her students will go by the park, and have a memory, a connection, with the 100 people whose names and faces are etched into black granite squares arrayed throughout the park. But Jeff Derderian, who was helping out at the bar, says he and an employee tried to get to the stage with a fire extinguisher. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. [31], Four employees of the Station were killed in the fire. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015.
Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. I couldn't play an instrument. The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry, Del Sesto said. But I should have at least tried..