Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. And if we could change it, we would. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Their story starts three years before the fire. And that song reminds us of that night. Greatly., Things that bother people you sit there and you shake your head and you go, if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, this month, this year, this decade, I mean, at that point its one of those things. 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. ", "20 years later, the effects of the Station nightclub fire still linger - The Boston Globe", "The Great White Nightclub Fire: Ten Years Later", "In West Warwick firefighters' hearts, the disaster isn't over", "How a West Warwick restaurant became a triage center for burn victims", "20th anniversary of New England nightclub fire that killed 100", "State supreme court to review penalty for employee deaths in R.I. fire - UPI.com", "Workers comp. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. I never thought it would get so bad., He told bartender Julie Mellini that they had to leave, and she and several patrons followed Vanner out the kitchen door. Even if he couldnt. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. You know people didn't react instantly. Many of the families believed that the punishment was just; others had hoped for a more severe sentence. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? 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. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. After the investigation ended and prosecutors had no more questions, after reporters stopped calling and the years passed since that deadly night, the man who was the sound technician and stage manager at The Station nightclub was left with his thoughts. [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. It was that fast. It was really everything to me at that time. More than 460 fans had crowded into the wooden, single-story, 4,480 -square-foot nightclub known as The Station in West Warwick, R.I., to enjoy a Thursday night show on Feb. 20, 2003. Michael Derderian: That is correct. 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. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. 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. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. 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. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. [29] The initial death toll was 96 people; Four more individuals died in the hospital in the weeks following, bringing the toll to 100. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was [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. Jack Russell declined "48 Hours"' request for an interview. [11] Although the band was officially known as Jack Russell's Great White at the time, and their tour was initially named after Russell's 2002 solo album For You, they were billed by the Station as simply Great White. It was criminal, he says. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. you could not see your hand in front of your face. It did not. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. [tearing up] "What a great brother you have. 'We've been trying to move forward': Station nightclub fire survivor on Jody King: He trusted the club. [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. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. / CBS News. 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. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. He was the. [63] Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch objected strenuously to the plea bargain, saying that both brothers should have received jail time and that Michael Derderian should have received more time than Biechele. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. We have an exit through the kitchen. 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. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. That was in like the 80s. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. 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.". 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. [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. You should be proud." Jeff Derderian: We feel a sense of guilt about what happened in the sense that you carry the guilt of knowing that these people aren't here anymore, and these people are hurt for the rest of their life. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. It didn't have a lock on it. [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. [35], The fire, from its inception, was caught on videotape by cameraman Brian Butler for WPRI-TV of Providence, and the beginning of that tape was released to national news stations. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? Jody King: They blamed three. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. As a result of this and other similar incidents, fire chiefs, fire marshals and inspectors require trained crowd managers to comply with the International Fire Code, NFPA-101 Life Safety Code, NFPA-1 Fire Code and many local ordinances that address safety in public-assembly occupancies. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. [77], A benefit memorial concert was held in February 2008 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence and featured performances by Tesla, Twisted Sister, Winger, Gretchen Wilson, and John Rich. [76] Another memorial was later that night the West Warwick Civic Center. [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. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. The fire began as rock band Great White played to the crowd. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. [31], Four employees of the Station were killed in the fire. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. [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. To the families of those who died on that devastating day: Rhode Island will never forget your loved ones and we will always stand by you, McKee said in the statement. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. 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.". Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. And I said my hands won't work. The Guest List: Documentary about The Station nightclub fire will That's what the code says. It was crowded, and it was getting bad. Joe Kinan was badly burned in the deadly Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island that left 100 dead and 230 injured in February 2003 . Scott James: You have four exits. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. The Station nightclub fire - Wikipedia "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. We're running out of time." I'm going to do this. [18][19] Gonsalves was the host of the WHJY program The Metal Zone, at the time the longest-running heavy metal radio program in the United States. And I was responsible for the day to day. 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? 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. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. We couldn't make it. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. [21] The fire spread throughout the building and was completely engulfed within six minutes of the pyrotechnic ignition. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. And he's like he don't know. Survivors of nightclub fire that killed 100 share stories - FireRescue1 [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. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". She endured more than 50 operations. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. 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. Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. One guy did crawl out. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Susan Nicol. The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos - The Providence Journal Michael Derderian: Correct. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry, Del Sesto said. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. In September 2008, The Jack Russell Tour Group Inc. offered $1 million in a settlement to survivors and victims' relatives. [99] 41 and a film based on O'Neill's play They Walk Among Us were aired by Rhode Island PBS in February 2013 in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of the fire. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. [2][46] On December 9, 2003, the grand jury announced indictments against Station owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and Great White road manager Daniel M. [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. 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. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. On the 19th Anniversary of The Station Nightclub Fire, "America'S undisputable. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. The Feb. 20, 2003. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. That was his gift. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. 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, [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. Flames can be seen on the back wall. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. [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]. They didn't even let him talk about it. NFPA on LinkedIn: Station Nightclub Fire Survivor Returns to the Scene I couldn't play an instrument. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . 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. The charge is pending. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. [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. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. And they played the arenas. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. He don't know. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. He trusted in his friends. So that was huge.. [58] Others pointed out that Biechele had sent handwritten letters to the families of each of the 100 victims and that he had a work release position in a local charity. Biechele was released from prison in 2008 after some families of the victims expressed their support for his parole. it was also on fire. [28] By 1:30 a.m. on February 21, all patients had been transported and the street had been cleared. The Station nightclub fire: What happened and who's to blame for Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. 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. The answer is no. But, you know, they have this following to this day . Nightclub Fire", "WHJY, Clear Channel offer $22M Station fire settlement", "Service recalls victims of nightclub fire - Feb. 25, 2003", "Families visit scene of deadly nightclub fire - Feb. 24, 2003", "Concert for nightclub fire survivors nets $25K", "Governor McKee Statement on 20th Anniversary of Station Nightclub Fire | Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island", "Station Nightclub Fire Memorial On Track For 2016 Opening", "Timeline: Station Nightclub Fire, 15 year anniversary", "Station nightclub site will no longer be Pokemon Go destination", "Owner of burned RI club donates land for memorial", "Job Lot customers respond to Station Fire Memorial drive", "Memorial park dedicated to victims of Station Nightclub Fire", "Great White: Performing again is the right thing", "Providence nightclub fire charity rebuffs Great White singer", "After the fire: Great White, survivors live with the horror of Rhode Island tragedy", "Rhode Island Club Fire Tragedy Revisited with Members of Rock Band Great White", "Now There's Two Versions Of Great White | Metal Insider", "After The Fire: Feelings mixed and emotions high as Jack Russell's Great White return to New England", "Great White And Jack Russell Reach Agreement Over Use Of Band Name", "Great White singer's fire memorial concert nixed", "Mohegan Sun postpones Great White concert booked close to Station fire anniversary", "Documentary on youngest Station victim to be aired", "Films by RIC Alum Are Among Station Nightclub Fire Tributes", National Fire Protection Association web page "Nightclubs/assembly occupancies", Guide to the Station Nightclub Victims' Collection from the Rhode Island State Archives, Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Station_nightclub_fire&oldid=1142630889, Building and structure fires in the United States, February 2003 events in the United States, Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2013, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. And I knew the window was to my left. In the other rooms, the smoke hadn't gotten to them, the flame wasn't that bad, they didn't think anything of it. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. Enduring and remembering: The Station fire 20 years later [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. Joshua Sanders, MS, IAAI-CFI on LinkedIn: ATF_NCETR on Twitter As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? There is one consistent thing I have learned after 18 years in the PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. The Foam.". Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. As soon as the pyrotechnics stopped, the flame had started on the egg-crate backing behind the stage, and it just went up the ceiling. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. I miss Tina a lot. His fiance, Tina Ayer, died at 33 in the fire, CBS Boston reported. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. For people to know you can go there now and look at this beautiful park and talk to your person thats what I love about it.. So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. And I'm like, "OK.". Inside The Inferno: The Station Nightclub Fire | Thought Catalog Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. Cold air washing over me. 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. 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. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. 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. 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. She paused, her eyes tearing. 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. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's.
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