[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. The result is poignant footage contrasting very different life stories. Scott James: You have four exits. But I should have at least tried.. 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. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry, Del Sesto said. According to Bostonherald.com, a memorial fund that raises money for survivors of The Station nightclub fire received at least $25,000 in donations after a benefit concert aired on television, organizers said today.. [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. In February 2008, Providence television station. I am proud. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. [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. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. 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. I couldn't get up. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. 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. A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. Tracy died never giving up. 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. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. [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. It just so happens that we're . 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. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. It did not. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" 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. A decade ago, a survivor . / CBS News. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. . Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? [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. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. I never thought it would get so bad., He told bartender Julie Mellini that they had to leave, and she and several patrons followed Vanner out the kitchen door. That's when I turned back. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. [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. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. [79], The site of the fire was cleared, and a multitude of crosses were placed as memorials, left by loved ones of the deceased. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. 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. The charge is pending. 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. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. And he's like he don't know. [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. That happened in 2002. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) Gina Russo, who survived The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003, spoke with NBC 10's Mario Hilario on the morning of the 20th anniversary of the. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. It was liquid fire. The fire began as rock band Great White played to the crowd. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. Scott James: It was a typical kind of roadside dive. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. Michael Derderian: He's completely out of it. In February 2006 three years after the station nightclub burned down many in Rhode Island were shocked to learn that instead of a trial, a plea deal had been reached with Daniel Biechele, the tour manager for the band Great White. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. 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. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. This is a massive part of my life. [28] By 1:30 a.m. on February 21, all patients had been transported and the street had been cleared. 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. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. [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. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. Share. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. 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. Regardless, Lynch points out the Derderians still chose to take a plea deal instead of going to trial. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? Michael Derderian: He finds the deficiencies, you have to correct the deficiencies and then signs off so that you so you can get your liquor license that happened in 2000. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Phil Barr: I don't like to talk about it, but I remember feeling weight on top of me, and I'm pretty sure I crawled out from under another person to pull myself up. [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. It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. 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. About 40 seconds after the song began, Great White stopped the show and all but one member of the band escaped through the stage door exit. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. 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. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. some bleeding I could notice in my throat. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. [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. 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. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. 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. And why wasn't the foam company charged? I remember getting pushed from behind. Fifteen years from now, she hopes, her students will go by the park, and have a memory, a connection, with the 100 people whose names and faces are etched into black granite squares arrayed throughout the park. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. I said to myself, we gotta go. 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. 2003 deadly fire at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, Great White, Jack Russell, and Mark Kendall, National Institute of Standards and Technology, "The Station nightclub fire 10 years later: Healing continues as West Warwick, Rhode Island, takes next step in recovery", "The Station Fire: Timeline of a tragedy", "Station tragedy leads to tougher fire code", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 1", "Beyond grief: Trying to make sense out of the Station tragedy", "Tragedy Catches Up to a Metal Band Past Its Prime", "Great White Fireworks Set Off a Controversy", "The Station nightclub fire: What happened and who's to blame for disaster that killed 100? I had no control over my muscles. A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. Her bill was $646 that month, she said. 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 The TIAs also required additional crowd manager personnel, among other things. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. 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? He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. He doesn't know. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The Station nightclub fire, where 100 people died and hundreds more were hurt, will never be forgotten by those who were there or lost loved ones that February night.. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Like, "get away from the building." Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. But their plans for the future would suddenly change. And he says you can. It was completely preventable. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. But it's fun. 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. She got out. They promoted the event. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. [81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. Jeff Derderian: I remember we were trying to get people away from the building. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". Well, I guess once we all started to turn toward the door, and we got bottle-necked into the front door, people just kept pushing, and eventually everyone popped out of the door, including myself. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. Michael Derderian: No. 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. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. 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 manslaughter. Jeffrey and Michael Derderian, the owners of the Station, pleaded no contest and avoided a trial: Michael received the same sentence as Biechele and was released from prison in 2009, while Jeffrey received a sentence of 500 hours of community service. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. [85] By April 2016, $1.65 million of the $2 million fundraising goal had been achieved and construction of the Station Fire Memorial Park had commenced. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. [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. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. A true hero would have gone for it, Vanner said. [tears up, shaking his head]. ", "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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