But she refuses to live in the past. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. I said to myself, we gotta go. 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. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. 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. 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. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death. 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. Tracy died never giving up. local Four nonstop. [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. 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. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. [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". For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. It had to be two minutes tops before the whole place was black smoke. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. 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. Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. 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. 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. 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? Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. [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. [83], In June 2003, the Station Fire Memorial Foundation (SFMF) was formed with the purpose of purchasing the property, to build and maintain a memorial. He don't know. [4] No occupants were in the building during the 1972 fire, but the interior was significantly damaged. [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. [tears up, shaking his head]. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " But Jeff Derderian, who was helping out at the bar, says he and an employee tried to get to the stage with a fire extinguisher. 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. We took shortcuts. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. 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. 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. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. 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 never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. They all came so every single one of those hundred students held up a white rose and they represented one of the 100 [who died]. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. Jody King: "Anybody see Tracy?" [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. This is a massive part of my life. ", "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. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. But, you know, they have this following to this day . and I just kind of went down on my face. [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. 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. 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. You take one square inch of the foam, you hold it up with a roach clip and light it on fire with a wooden match. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. It seems like yesterday We were going to get married in June and she passed away in February, Cain told CBS. How did you meet him? Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". 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 . Michael Derderian: We say that they we're sorry for all of it. 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. The TIAs required automatic fire sprinklers in all existing nightclubs and similar locations that accommodate more than 100 occupants, and all new locations in the same categories. They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? [60], Following Biechele's trial, The Station's owners, Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, were scheduled to receive separate trials. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? 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. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue.". There isn't a guilt in terms of like, that we knowingly did this or or caused it but there's a guilt that we it happened on our watch, happened on our watch. 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. 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. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. One near the bar. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. Their story starts three years before the fire. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. [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. It was liquid fire," says former Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who investigated the disaster. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. It just so happens that we're . CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? [76] Another memorial was later that night the West Warwick Civic Center. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. Do you understand that anger? Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. That specific. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. Michael Derderian: Correct. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast. 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.. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. 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. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. That's what the code says. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. Season 1. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. I'm going to do this. But Saturday night, as . This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". 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. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. [36] Butler was there for a planned piece on nightclub safety being reported by Jeffrey A. Derderian, a WPRI news reporter who was also a part-owner of The Station. [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. 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. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. He trusted the owners. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. It didn't have a lock on it. 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. That happened in 2002. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? That was his gift. Michael Derderian: No. But their plans for the future would suddenly change. 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 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. my dad was in the room. 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. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. there are other people who should be responsible. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I have to find him. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. One of them is never say die, never give up. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. [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. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. We're running out of time." We haven't played it since then and probably never will. And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. Jim Axelrod is the chief investigative correspondent and senior national correspondent for CBS News, reporting for "CBS This Morning," "CBS Evening News," "CBS Sunday Morning" and other CBS News broadcasts. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured.
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