It was liquid fire. 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. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. She endured more than 50 operations. it became very, very hard to breathe. [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. It fuels you. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? First of all, I don't know you would, how would you how would you accomplish the detail and the amount of new information in a news conference or, you know, a commercial or something that we would try and do on our own. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. Michael Derderian: Zero. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. Out of it. [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. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue.". "[23] Within 40 seconds of the ignition, Great White had stopped playing and left the stage and the venue's fire alarm began to sound, but it was not connected to local fire department. [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. February 20 is the 19th anniversary of the tragic fire that killed 100 and injured another 230 people at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. It had to be two minutes tops before the whole place was black smoke. [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. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. 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.. He said if there's. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. these contracts are pretty specific. One near the bar. 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. 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.". into the main barroom. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. We couldn't make it. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. 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. And he says you can. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. Linda Saran: My hospital roommate, he and I took turns driving the respiratory therapist crazy in some ways it's almost like being in war together. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. 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. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? In an exclusive interview with "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod, the Derderians said they wanted to set the record straight and reveal new information about that foam and accountability. Even if he died trying. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. [14] In the aftermath of the fire, Great White and the owners of the Station disputed whether the band were allowed to use the pyrotechnic display during their concert. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Investigators eventually discovered the fax was sent by Barry Warner, a former employee at American Foam the company that had sent the Derderians the packing foam made of flammable polyurethane. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. I don't care what I'm going to see.". But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. Since 2003, the approach of the anniversary of the Station fire, where she and her twin sister, Cara Ann, got out unhurt while 100 others died and about 200 more were injured, was four weeks of dread. Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. Scott James: The fire alarm you hear it kick in. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. 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. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who is featured in a REELZ documentary about the Warwick, Rhode Island Station nightclub fire, which killed some 100 attendees of a Great White concert in 2003, I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. It was completely preventable. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. He was the. [21], Among those who died in the fire were Great White guitarist Ty Longley, and the show's emcee, WHJY DJ Mike "The Doctor" Gonsalves. Scott James: You have four exits. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. A National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation of the fire under the authority of the National Construction Safety Team Act, using computer simulations with FDS and a mockup of the stage area and dance floor, concluded that a fire sprinkler system would have contained the fire long enough to give everyone time to exit safely. But I should have at least tried.. And I'm like, "OK.". [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. But it's fun. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. Flames were seen breaking through a part of the roof in less than five minutes. I couldn't hear screaming anymore. He doesn't know. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. [93] In the years following the fire, Great White split into two separate groups, one led by Russell and the other by Kendall. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. 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. The result is poignant footage contrasting very different life stories. It took a while, she said, but she thinks she had found the way to move on from it but to keep it with her as well. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. 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. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. 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. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. 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. I'm going to do this. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. 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: That is correct. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. The Foam.". At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. [103], Inspired by the fire, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act has been proposed United States Senate and House of Representatives since 2003. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. [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. 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. The Feb. 20, 2003. Phil Barr: Yep. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner said. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. [21] Thick smoke began to fill the station one minute after the ignition and the crowd began to escape the building. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. That specific. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. I went around back. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. 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. 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. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. 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. 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. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. [13], In February 2003, Great White was on an eighteen date concert tour, and they had been using a pyrotechnic display during their performances that some club owners had denied them permission to use, citing safety concerns. She paused, her eyes tearing. ", "Fire in a nightclub: the band; group persevered by making circuit of smaller clubs", "How tragedy inspired one member of Great White", "Rhode Island Remembers Victims Of Deadly GREAT WHITE Concert Fire", "Club, band dispute permission to use fireworks - Feb. 22, 2003", "Memories sear survivor of fire that killed 100 in 2003", "Parents mourn loss of only child in nightclub fire, but cherish time they had after first near-death experience", "Radio station to remain in fire lawsuits", "Clear Channel agrees to pay $22 million to nightclub fire victims", "Portraits of people who died in the R.I. nightclub fire", "Timeline: What happened the night of the Station nightclub fire?
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