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. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. He owned his own construction company, and he was often in the backyard with his sons, improving the landscape or building two ponds that he filled with koi fish. 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. I'll be right back." Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. He was the. Jeff Derderian: Because in my mind I had nothing to hide. [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. I just don't find him as guilty of anything. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. They should have blamed more. I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. I said to myself, we gotta go. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. [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. It was like what? [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. 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. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. They all later accepted plea deals. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. 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. The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. [9] American Foam refuted the claims in Warner's fax. [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. She paused, her eyes tearing. [103], Inspired by the fire, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act has been proposed United States Senate and House of Representatives since 2003. Tracy died never giving up. I don't even like to talk about it. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. This is solid gasoline. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) Gina Russo, who survived The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003, spoke with NBC 10's Mario Hilario on the morning of the 20th anniversary of the. There is one consistent thing I have learned after 18 years in the [6], Great White, the headlining band of the February 20 concert, had risen to fame as part of the glam metal scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He doesn't know. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. 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. The fire was the fourth-deadliest at a nightclub in U.S. history, and the second-deadliest in New England, behind the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire, which resulted in 492 deaths. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. 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 Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. I am proud. [78], On the twentieth anniversary of the fire on February 20, 2023, Rhode Island governor Dan McKee ordered flags in Rhode Island lowered to half-staff for the day and the Rhode Island State House to be illuminated in memory of the 100 victims. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. And he says you can. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. Absolutely not. 2003 deadly fire at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, Great White, Jack Russell, and Mark Kendall, National Institute of Standards and Technology, "The Station nightclub fire 10 years later: Healing continues as West Warwick, Rhode Island, takes next step in recovery", "The Station Fire: Timeline of a tragedy", "Station tragedy leads to tougher fire code", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 1", "Beyond grief: Trying to make sense out of the Station tragedy", "Tragedy Catches Up to a Metal Band Past Its Prime", "Great White Fireworks Set Off a Controversy", "The Station nightclub fire: What happened and who's to blame for disaster that killed 100? [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. 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. 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.". . I found my soul was wanting.. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. [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. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Nothing lifts his despair. 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. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. Linda Saran: Yes. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. We have an exit through the kitchen. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. 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. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. 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. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. 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.". About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. Gina Russo has no clear memory of how, with her hair on fire, she got out of the Station nightclub the night of Feb. 20, 2003. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Everybody just kind of turned. Great White was part of the lawsuit. Barr was now outside, but he felt like his lungs were on fire. [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. 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. I refused to accept that as the outcome. And I was responsible for the day to day. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. 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. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. 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. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. [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. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. [2] The three were each charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter with criminal negligence and 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of a misdemeanor. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. He don't know. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. [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. 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? And people just stood there. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. But it's fun. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! 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. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. [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. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." [4] No occupants were in the building during the 1972 fire, but the interior was significantly damaged. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. Do you understand that anger? Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? "[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. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. At the opening of the park I had 100 students from my school come, and I had to explain it all so I gave them their learning experience, she said of last Mays dedication of the park on the site of the Station nightclub. 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. The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. It just so happens that we're . We took shortcuts. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. He said if there's. Now, Russo leads the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which oversees a memorial that stands where the nightclub once went up in flames, The Boston Globe reported. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. One near the bar. [21] The fire spread throughout the building and was completely engulfed within six minutes of the pyrotechnic ignition. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. [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. This is the time to leave. 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. 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? Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. 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. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. 0:57. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. Vanner has no excuses. Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . One near the bar. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. [21] The flames were initially thought to be part of the act; only as the fire reached the ceiling and smoke began to bank down did people realize it was uncontrolled. And they played the arenas. 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. Jody King: I see the horror. Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the Station nightclub fire, one of the deadliest blazes to ever occur at a nightclub in the United States. As we hold those impacted by this tragedy close in our hearts, we also remember the remarkable and courageous actions of first responders, public safety officials, medical professionals, and Rhode Islanders who sprang into action to save lives on that day and who worked to comfort their communities in the days and weeks following.. 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. Since the fire, I have wanted to tell the victims and their families how truly sorry I am for what happened that night and the part that I had in it. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. Purchase and sale had been signed. local Four nonstop. 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. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. 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. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. 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. 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. "[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. 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. I don't care what I'm going to see.". He trusted the owners. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. The Foam.". They didn't even let him talk about it. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . 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. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. [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. It fuels you. [tearing up] "What a great brother you have. [29] The initial death toll was 96 people; Four more individuals died in the hospital in the weeks following, bringing the toll to 100. It was crowded, and it was getting bad. But with last springs dedication of the memorial on the old nightclub site, Del Sesto said she thinks she has found a way not to forget, but to live with the memories. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Patrick Lynch: Not only was the door up, which it shouldn't have been, opened inward which it shouldn't have It was covered in foam. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. [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. [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. She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. 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. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. [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. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. 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.. [20], Great White started their performance at 11:07 p.m. on February 20. I miss Tina a lot. 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. And I stood up. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" "We wanted the full story to come out, not just some of it, and for people who want to come to their own conclusion on what happened that night," says Jeff Derderian. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. The Station nightclub fire occurred on the evening of February 20, 2003 at The Station, a nightclub and hard rock music venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, killing 100 people and injuring 230. [12] Kendall, who had co-founded the band with Russell in 1977, had rejoined Russell's version of the group in 2002. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. You were not approaching that area at all. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. 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. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. Well, I guess once we all started to turn toward the door, and we got bottle-necked into the front door, people just kept pushing, and eventually everyone popped out of the door, including myself. Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. 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. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. That's how thick the smoke was. A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. 9. 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. And it was ugly.
