We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. Nothing lifts his despair. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. That specific. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. Jody King: When he walked into a room, if there wasn't a smile he'd start balancing stuff to get you uplifted and smiling. A true hero would have gone for it, Vanner said. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. [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. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. undisputable. We have an exit through the kitchen. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. Daniel Biechele, the tour manager for Great White who had ignited the pyrotechnics, plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006 and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with four to serve. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. The Foam.". JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. 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. 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. Its irrelevant.. Flames can be seen on the back wall. 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. Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. There is one consistent thing I have learned after 18 years in the 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. Michael Derderian: That is correct. [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. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. 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. [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. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. 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. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. So, I would think that the pyrotechnic provision would be in there just like we need to have, you know, 12 M&Ms, I mean, you know, and they need to be brown. [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. [9] In 2005, the Rhode Island Attorney General office received a fax from Barry Warner, a former employee of American Foam who lived nearby the Station, who claimed the company had known about the dangers of polyurethane foam but did not warn their employees about it. 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. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. [tears up, shaking his head]. It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. I don't even like to talk about it. 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. [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. [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. It was that fast. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. 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 had a cellphone that was working and handed it off to anyone who needed to call home and let their family know they were safe. There had to be that period for me. A staggering 100 lives were lost. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. Why had the fire spread so quickly? Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. [9] The ensuing crowd crush in the narrow hallway led to that exit being blocked completely and resulted in numerous deaths and injuries among the patrons and staff. Jason Hahn. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . But I made a choice. I found my soul was wanting.. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. 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. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. They should have blamed more. Linda Saran: Yes. [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. [7][8] They were best known for their 1989 cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. You bury nine people in a period of less than two weeks, she said, and yeah, I think it affects you. [40][37] Derderian resigned from WPRI on June 30. Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. 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. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. 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. [25] Fire departments in Warwick, Coventry, and Cranston rendered mutual aid to the fire site. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. But, you know, they have this following to this day . Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. 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. I did not lead them out, he said dismissively. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. View Image Gallery. Even if he couldnt. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. [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. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In September 2008, The Jack Russell Tour Group Inc. offered $1 million in a settlement to survivors and victims' relatives. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. And he's like he don't know. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. 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. 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. The Station Nightclub Fire: Who's Responsible? One near the bar. She endured more than 50 operations. [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]. I'll be right back." 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. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. 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. 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. [79], The site of the fire was cleared, and a multitude of crosses were placed as memorials, left by loved ones of the deceased. America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List explores the Station nightclub fire through gripping survivor accounts and family members and friends of victims who have memorialized their loss through pursuits ranging from an exhibit of commemorative body art to re-immersion in the rock culture that initially brought them and their loved ones 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. Cassidy was questioned by Customs and Border Protection in 2016, three sources familiar with the probe . And why wasn't the foam company charged? [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. 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. 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. He don't know. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! Jim Axelrod: Were you a fan of the band Great White? 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. [78] The event raised at least $25,000 in donations for the Station Family Fund, and was broadcast in March by VH1 and VH1 Classic. 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. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. [94] Kendall's version of Great White was to perform at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut alongside Stryper and Steven Adler on March 25, 2023, but the venue indefinitely postponed the concert on March 2, citing its proximity to the twentieth anniversary of the fire. 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. I figured I was on my own at that point.. 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.. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. "Literally laid there and said, 'God please just take care of my family,' because I knew I was going to die,'" survivor Linda Saran recalls. But I should have at least tried.. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. I needed for that day to come, she said. [2] The final tally by The Providence Journal of people inside the Station during the fire totaled 462. I couldn't play an instrument. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. 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. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. 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. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List explores the Station nightclub fire through gripping survivor accounts and family members and friends of victims who have memorialized their loss . But she refuses to live in the past. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. This is the time to leave. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. 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. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? 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. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. When fireworks ignited the soundproofing foam on the stage wall, he ran for a fire extinguisher. Fifteen years since that terrible night. He don't know. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. I just don't find him as guilty of anything. [39] WPRI-TV and Derderian were criticized for the conflict of interest in having a reporter do a report concerning his own property. [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. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? 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. Flames soon appeared on the walls on either side of the stage and spread quickly along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling, intended to dampen sound. He was the. 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. Joe Kinan was badly burned in the deadly Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island that left 100 dead and 230 injured in February 2003 . The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. 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. Jody King: I see the horror. [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. This trial was scheduled to start May 1, 2006, but Biechele, against his lawyers' advice,[52] pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter on February 7, 2006, in what he said was an effort to "bring peace, I want this to be over with."[52]. That's what the code says. Vanner has no excuses. I have to find him. [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. 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.". [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian reached a settlement of $813,000 with survivors and victims' families in September 2008. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. One of them is never say die, never give up. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. [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. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. The club was sold. [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. Its surreal. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. Their story starts three years before the fire. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. 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. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. 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. [12] Kendall, who had co-founded the band with Russell in 1977, had rejoined Russell's version of the group in 2002. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. 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. This is a massive part of my life. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. He trusted in his friends. I said to myself, we gotta go. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. Scott James: It should not have happened. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. He says he managed to escape through the front door before a stampede of people got stuck in the narrow hallway and blocked the exit. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. [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. 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. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. 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. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - Saturday marks the 18-year anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire that left lasting scars on numerous families and the state of Rhode Island. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. Patrick Lynch: Again, any reference in this conversation about what the brothers say, I I take a step back and think I don't really trust it. It fuels you. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. It was completely preventable. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen, she said. It was already in contract. These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. You know people didn't react instantly. [52] Speaking to the public for the first time since the fire, Biechele stated: For three years, I've wanted to be able to speak to the people that were affected by this tragedy, but I know that there's nothing that I can say or do that will undo what happened that night. It just so happens that we're . And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. I remember getting pushed from behind. Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. [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. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". 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. [93] In the years following the fire, Great White split into two separate groups, one led by Russell and the other by Kendall. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. The Foam.". [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. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. ", Scott James: They had their moments. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. . I had no control over my muscles. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. And outside I went. The following day the brothers responded at a press conference: JEFF DERDERIAN: No permission was ever requested by the band or any of its agents to use pyrotechnics at The Station, and no permission was ever given. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. A decade ago, a survivor . Biechele. Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. 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. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern.

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