He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. [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". 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. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. 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? Firefighters responded within five minutes, and the building was fully engulfed within six minutes, according to a timeline assembled by WPRI. 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 says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. 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. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. But he didn't know what. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. [21] Twenty seconds after the pyrotechnics ended, the band stopped playing and lead singer Jack Russell calmly remarked into the microphone, "Wow that's not good. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. The fire seemed to burn quickly, she added. 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.. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. And while they weren't charged in the criminal case, survivors and victims' families sued them in civil court for not warning the Derderians the foam they sent them was flammable. [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].
On the 19th Anniversary of The Station Nightclub Fire, "America'S Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. Cold air washing over me. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. 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. 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. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. ", Scott James: They had their moments.
Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th [2] The final tally by The Providence Journal of people inside the Station during the fire totaled 462. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." Judy Tygard is the executive producer. 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. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. Jeff Derderian: I remember we were trying to get people away from the building. I don't even like to talk about it. Its irrelevant.. It looked like it was raining black fire.
The Station Nightclub Fire: Revisiting the Lessons Michael Derderian: No. [11] Dominic Santana, the owner of The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, told reporters that Great White had used pyrotechnics during their February 14, 2003 performance at the venue without his permission, and their contract and rider did not mention pyrotechnics displays. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. [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. How he went from being a man with a job he loved and friends, to someone struggling with sobriety and guilt, suffering flashbacks at fire alarms and smoke-like fog. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. [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.
About The Guest List [21], By this time, the nightclub's fire alarm had activated, and although there were four possible exits, most people headed for the front door through which they had entered. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said.
In Memoriam: Victims of the Station Nightclub Fire - WPRI.com And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. [9] American Foam refuted the claims in Warner's fax. Its surreal. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast.
'We've been trying to move forward': Station nightclub fire survivor on At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. Jeff Derderian: They didn't even bring up the fax to him. Jody King: As I went by the fire station fire trucks are coming out Now the question in my head is why are all these firetrucks leaving? She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. In the other rooms, the smoke hadn't gotten to them, the flame wasn't that bad, they didn't think anything of it. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. There was nothing heroic about what I did.. And a quarter of those people didn't get to go home ever," says survivor Linda Saran, who was severely burned in the fire at The Station nightclub. The Foam.". Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. They want to talk to you." Linda Saran: I said, "you know what?
Michael Derderian: The club was sold. 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. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. 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. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. And it was ugly. 9. When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" 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. I couldn't hear screaming anymore. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. I am proud. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. [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. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. ", "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. [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. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. The Guest List is based in part on John Barylick's narrative non-fiction work, killer show, the station nightclub fire, America's deadliest rock concert. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. We couldn't make it. [93] In the years following the fire, Great White split into two separate groups, one led by Russell and the other by Kendall. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. The club was sold. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. 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. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. [80], A permanent memorial at the site of the fire has been erected and named the Station Fire Memorial Park. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. Both the brothers had other jobs. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. 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. Jody King: Hopped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, grabbed my keys, hopped in the car and took off. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". 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. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. 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. On May 10, 2006, State Prosecutor Randall White asked that Biechele be sentenced to ten years in prison, the maximum allowed under the plea bargain, citing the massive loss of life in the fire and the need to send a message. Nothing lifts his despair. He don't know. [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]. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. Jim Axelrod: The fire spread so quickly because rather than fire-retardant sound foam, on the wall of the club was highly flammable packing foam. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. I needed for that day to come, she said. Michael Derderian: Zero. PROVIDENCE Over the years Dave Kane has had to find a place to store his outrage over losing his 18-year-old son, Nicholas, in The Station nightclub fire in 2003. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. And he says you can. [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. She endured more than 50 operations. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam and say the club was inspected by their insurance company, and multiple times by the local Fire Marshal Denis Laroque. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. 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? In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. So, the only way to pick up a can of soda would be to do this [lifting both arms out parallel in front of her]. Great White was part of the lawsuit. Out of it. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. 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. undisputable. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. [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. 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. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. Fifteen years since that terrible night. She got out. [94] Kendall's version of the band holds the copyright for the Great White name. One near the bar. Vanner has no excuses. [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. [tears up, shaking his head]. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. And they're quick to point out the club was inspected by their insurance company, and multiple times by the local Fire Marshal Denis Laroque. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. and I just kind of went down on my face. We're running out of time." Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. He was the. Absolutely not. She said she spent years after that in pain and anger. Do you understand that anger? [89] "I don't think I could ever sing that song again," said Russell. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. It was liquid fire. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. And they played the arenas. [29] The initial death toll was 96 people; Four more individuals died in the hospital in the weeks following, bringing the toll to 100. I couldn't hear noise. Nine months after the fire, the club's owners, brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian, along with Daniel Biechele, the band's tour manager, were each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. 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. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. The pyrotechnics ignited the walls on either side of the stage and within seconds flames spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling of the club intended to dampen sound. It just so happens that we're . After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. 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. 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. To satisfy noise complaints from neighbors, the brothers had installed foam along the club's walls and ceilings. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. 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. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. But I should have at least tried..