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. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. WEST WARWICK, R.I. -- Five years . His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. [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 should be proud." They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. [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. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. 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. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. 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. 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. 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. But, you know, they have this following to this day . It was that fast. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. 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]. 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. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. And I stood up. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. 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. I miss Tina a lot. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. At first, there was no panic. [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. 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. Nothing lifts his despair. "[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. and I just kind of went down on my face. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. [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. Stephen Sweet, a Quincy firefighter who lost his cousin Shawn Sweet in the fire, came to play the bagpipes at a memorial ceremony Monday, WCVB reported. Why had the fire spread so quickly? 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 haven't played it since then and probably never will. It's like a surge of bodies. The flanking gerbs became the principal cause of the fire. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. [89] "I don't think I could ever sing that song again," said Russell. I couldn't get up. As a result of this and other similar incidents, fire chiefs, fire marshals and inspectors require trained crowd managers to comply with the International Fire Code, NFPA-101 Life Safety Code, NFPA-1 Fire Code and many local ordinances that address safety in public-assembly occupancies. [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. Nine friends didnt. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. Jody King: I see the horror. 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. 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. San Jose shooting suspect prepared 'to take as many lives as he I remember getting pushed from behind. 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. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. [21] The fire spread throughout the building and was completely engulfed within six minutes of the pyrotechnic ignition. The Station Nightclub Fire: A Horrific First-Person View of the [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. 'We've been trying to move forward': Station nightclub fire survivor on [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. 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. Purchase and sale had been signed. 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. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. It was completely preventable. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". He don't know. 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. Phil Barr: Yep. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. They want to talk to you." The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. One guy did crawl out. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. 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. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. Fifteen years since that terrible night. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. It looked like it was raining black fire. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. Cold air washing over me. Its surreal. Remembering the 100 victims of the Station Nightclub fire 18 years Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. He trusted the owners. To satisfy noise complaints from neighbors, the brothers had installed foam along the club's walls and ceilings. 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. 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.. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. 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. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th About The Guest List Almost immediately the finger pointing started. 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. She endured more than 50 operations. But she refuses to live in the past. These days, she uses her job as a teacher at John F. Deering Middle School to make it so those who didnt suffer so directly will remember it too. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. 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. The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Jeff Derderian, seated right, says, "You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form.". Scott James: It should not have happened. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. Survivor of Rhode Island Station Nightclub Fire Rebuilds His Life 14 It was crowded, and it was getting bad. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. [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. Nightclub Fire", "3 indicted in R.I. rock concert fire - UPI Archives", "The Derderians are on a 'white-wash tour' about The Station fire, says father who lost son", "The strange and terrible true story of Great White, and the Station nightclub fire", "3 Men Are Indicted in Fire At Rhode Island Nightclub", "Foam company offers Station nightclub fire plaintiffs $6.3M settlement", "DAN BIECHELE SPEAKS Pre-Sentencing Statement GREAT WHITE TOUR MANAGER Station Nightclub Fire RI", "Fury, Tears and 4-Year Term in Deadly Blaze", "Band manager who ignited deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire freed from prison", "Manager Sentenced for Rhode Island Nightclub Fire", "Many families of Station fire victims supporting parole for band manager", "Band manager who ignited R.I. club fire is freed", "After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla", "Derderians will plead; AG says he opposes sentencing deal", "2 Brothers to Plead No Contest in R.I. But Saturday night, as . She got out. It was criminal, he says. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. 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. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. 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. 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. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. 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 company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. The TIAs also required additional crowd manager personnel, among other things. He was the. A staggering 100 lives were lost. [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. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. His fiance, Tina Ayer, died at 33 in the fire, CBS Boston reported. Season 1. 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. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. In February 2008, Providence television station. 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. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. Even if he died trying. Even if he couldnt. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. [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]. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. [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. Father of youngest Station nightclub fire victim questions why owners It didn't have a lock on it. I don't even like to talk about it. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. And why wasn't the foam company charged? NFPA on LinkedIn: Station Nightclub Fire Survivor Returns to the Scene The Station Nightclub Fire: Who's Responsible? [21] Thick smoke began to fill the station one minute after the ignition and the crowd began to escape the building. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list.
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