[104] It was last introduced in the House in 2015 by then-U.S. Reps. James Langevin of Rhode Island and Tom Reed of New York.[104]. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. They were friends. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. [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". 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. He trusted the owners. In fact, they did the opposite.". 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.". The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. 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. It was criminal, he says. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. [2] Larocque later told the Rhode Island State Police that he had not spotted the polyurethane foam during the November 2002 inspection because he was upset after finding an illegal inward swinging door that he had previously asked to be removed from the building. [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. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. February 20 is the 19th anniversary of the tragic fire that killed 100 and injured another 230 people at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. Most people still just stood there. 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. The Station Nightclub Fire - University of Cincinnati pdf To summarize the reports, specifically about how people exited, the vast majority of people attempted to exit the way they came in. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. 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. But she refuses to live in the past. The fire seemed to burn quickly, she added. Michael Derderian: Correct. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. [33] One survivor claimed that a bouncer blocked a side door as attendees attempted to escape the building, stating the door was only to be used by the band. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. 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. It did not. I can only pray that they understand that I would do anything to undo what happened that night and give them back their loved ones. It was liquid fire. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. I am proud. Foam the Derderians had installed along the club's walls and ceilings to conceal noise was highly flammable and "was equal to gallons of gasoline. It looked like it was raining black fire. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. The third started that day. But with last years dedication of the Station Memorial Park on the site of the nightclub, she said she found that along with the scars, that night had provided her with a purpose in life and people she would otherwise never have known. [22] During the performance, pyrotechnics set off by tour manager Daniel Biechele ignited the flammable acoustic foam on both sides and the top center of the drummer's alcove at the back of the stage. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. these contracts are pretty specific. Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. The tour manager for the rock band Great White pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. 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. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. 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. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. I don't care what I'm going to see.". You take one square inch of the foam, you hold it up with a roach clip and light it on fire with a wooden match. It didn't have a lock on it. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. I needed for that day to come, she said. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. In September 2008, The Jack Russell Tour Group Inc. offered $1 million in a settlement to survivors and victims' relatives. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. 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. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. 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. 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. [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. Linda Saran: Yes. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." WEST WARWICK, R.I. The Station nightclub fire, where 100 people died and hundreds more were hurt, will never be forgotten by those who were there or lost loved ones that February night.. He don't know. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. Jeff Derderian: I remember we were trying to get people away from the building. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. 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. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. One guy did crawl out. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. After 15 years of it being a dominant part of her everyday life, she said she is ready for it to be a part of her past. Then there's that interior, inward swinging door by the stage that Former Attorney General Patrick Lynch says was responsible for loss of life the night of the fire. 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. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. [25] Fire departments in Warwick, Coventry, and Cranston rendered mutual aid to the fire site. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. [26] The Cowesett Inn restaurant across the street from the Station acted as an ad-hoc burn triage and command center for first responders. That's how thick the smoke was. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. And I'm like, "OK.". Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. 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? 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. The Feb. 20, 2003. As of September 2008, at least $115 million in settlement agreements had been paid, or offered, to the victims or their families by various defendants. This is a massive part of my life. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. 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. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. [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. Jody King: "Anybody see Tracy?" Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. [4] In 1985, it was converted to a pub, which closed sometime in the late 1980s, and a nightclub was opened in its place in 1991. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. It fuels you. [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. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. View Image Gallery. I look at my scars every day. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. undisputable. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. 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, Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. We took shortcuts. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? He don't know. These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? [103], Inspired by the fire, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act has been proposed United States Senate and House of Representatives since 2003. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? [14] In the aftermath of the fire, Great White and the owners of the Station disputed whether the band were allowed to use the pyrotechnic display during their concert. They were told to take it down. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. In the aftermath, Vanner battled an addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, which he used to cope but which cost him jobs and his drivers license. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. 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. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. 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. Phil Barr: A lot of people moved back towards the main entrance it became really clear that we were not going to be able [to] get out the front door. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . The answer is no. Tweet. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. And it was ugly. Michael Derderian: No. [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]. At first, there was no panic. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. [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. Russell 's bandmate Ty Longley (guitar) was one of the people who perished in The Station blaze, which became the fourth deadliest fire in U.S. history.

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