[81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. Fifteen years since that terrible night. That was his gift. 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. [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Jim Axelrod: If the brothers are relying on the fire marshal to tell them whether or not they can continue to do business. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. Joe Kinan was badly burned in the deadly Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island that left 100 dead and 230 injured in February 2003 . They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. [15][16] All the members of Trip escaped the Station without injury, but two members of Fathead, cousins Keith and Steven Mancini, died in the fire. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Nothing lifts his despair. That evening she had a girl's night out with a friend while her young daughter was at a sleepover. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. 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. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. To satisfy noise complaints from neighbors, the brothers had installed foam along the club's walls and ceilings. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos 98 PHOTOS More Stories Has fire prevention in RI improved since The Station fire? Scott James: He writes up this long, almost a manifesto about all the things that he thinks are wrong in that foam company that led to this tragedy. But she refuses to live in the past. Michael Derderian: Correct. It was completely preventable. 9. [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. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". Phil Barr: Yep. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. It seems like yesterday We were going to get married in June and she passed away in February, Cain told CBS. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. And I knew the window was to my left. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. It was crowded, and it was getting bad. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. But with last years dedication of the Station Memorial Park on the site of the nightclub, she said she found that along with the scars, that night had provided her with a purpose in life and people she would otherwise never have known. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian reached a settlement of $813,000 with survivors and victims' families in September 2008. We have an exit through the kitchen. They didn't even let him talk about it. S01:E01 - San Francisco Freeway Collapse. Jason Hahn. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. It just so happens that we're . I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. The brothers, however, find that hard to believe considering the foam covered the walls, ceiling and even the inward swinging door he cited as a violation. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. 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. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. 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.. I couldn't get up. Absolutely not. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. I look at my scars every day. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. The club was sold. it was also on fire. 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. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . But never once do they say, "we screwed up." Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. 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. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. 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. That's what the code says. And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. [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. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. Survivor of Rhode Island Station Nightclub Fire Rebuilds His Life 14 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. Purchase and sale had been signed. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. That was in like the 80s. 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]. 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. The Station Nightclub Fire - University of Cincinnati pdf To summarize the reports, specifically about how people exited, the vast majority of people attempted to exit the way they came in. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. 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. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. 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. 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. Jody King: They blamed three. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. And I'm like, "OK.". Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. 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.. [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. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. But it's fun. [48] Some victims' families criticized the 48 Hours segment and the Derderians' involvement. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. [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. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. 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. Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. [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 is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. It's like a surge of bodies. Watch Alive S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire Free TV | Tubi At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. [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. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? 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. Greatly., Things that bother people you sit there and you shake your head and you go, if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, this month, this year, this decade, I mean, at that point its one of those things. I don't even like to talk about it. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? [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. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. [1] The building that would become The Station was built in 1946 and was originally used as a gin mill. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. you could not see your hand in front of your face. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. [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. [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. . "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. Sparks from the gerbs ignited the insulation foam, and flames were visible on the wall above the stage within nine seconds of their ignition. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. It is now mandatory for nightclubs with occupancy over 150 to have them. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. [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. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. 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. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. REELZ today announced the network's original documentary America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List premieres February 20th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT presenting the deeply personal stories of lives forever altered by the tragic Station nightclub fire that left 100 people dead, more than 200 injured and devastated the tight-knit community of West Warwick, Rhode Island. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. 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. Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. They promoted the event. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. The Guest List: Documentary about The Station nightclub fire will There had to be that period for me. 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. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. He trusted in his friends. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. 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. 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. One near the bar. I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. I did not lead them out, he said dismissively. 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. Station fire, 15 years later: Survivors tell their stories 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. View Image Gallery. 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. [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. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. One of them is never say die, never give up. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . They were friends. You bury nine people in a period of less than two weeks, she said, and yeah, I think it affects you. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. [80], A permanent memorial at the site of the fire has been erected and named the Station Fire Memorial Park. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said. I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. [4] No occupants were in the building during the 1972 fire, but the interior was significantly damaged. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. It was really everything to me at that time. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. They all later accepted plea deals. Michael Derderian: That is correct. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. 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. Jody King: He was gregarious. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. That specific. The charge is pending. [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. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. You know people didn't react instantly. 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. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. Survivors of The Station nightclub fire struggle with guilt 20 years 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. it became very, very hard to breathe. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), R.I. State House homeless encampment removed after legal fight, After the 80th anniversary of the tragic fire, a Cocoanut Grove memorial is coming to Boston, This affordable airline says it will bring at least 20 routes to an R.I. airport. 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. 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. Am I going to sit here and cry about this?