To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. Absolutely not.
"Barn Find" Harley Davidson Shovelhead Custom Survivor Found - YouTube [9] American Foam refuted the claims in Warner's fax. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. When fireworks ignited the soundproofing foam on the stage wall, he ran for a fire extinguisher. [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? [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. Flames were seen breaking through a part of the roof in less than five minutes. Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. And I'm like, "OK.". [76] The Rhode Island state fire code was changed after the fire to require every nightclub in the state with a capacity of over 150 people to have a sprinkler system installed.[3]. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. 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. But their plans for the future would suddenly change.
Watch Alive S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire Free TV | Tubi Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. 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. Scott James: The fire alarm you hear it kick in. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. 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. Their story starts three years before the fire. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. / CBS News. In the months and years that followed, Jody also learned about Tracy's heroic last moments. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. [89] "I don't think I could ever sing that song again," said Russell. Parole board chairwoman Lisa Holley told journalists of her surprise at the forgiving attitude of the families, saying, "I think the most overwhelming part of it for me was the depth of forgiveness of many of these families that have sustained such a loss.
Station Benefit Concert Nets $25,000 After Broadcast if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics.
Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th Jason Hahn.
Twisted Sister's Dee Snider Honors 2003 Station Nightclub Fire Victims It seems senseless that something like this could happen. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. I couldn't hear noise. And why wasn't the foam company charged? 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. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. But does that mean it's not a crime? WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. 9. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. [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. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. [22] During the performance, pyrotechnics set off by tour manager Daniel Biechele ignited the flammable acoustic foam on both sides and the top center of the drummer's alcove at the back of the stage. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. 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. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it."
San Jose shooting suspect prepared 'to take as many lives as he [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.
Multiple injured after shooting at San Jose nightclub | KRON4 Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. The tour manager for the rock band Great White pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. That happened in 2002. 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. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. Season 1. 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. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. 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. [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. 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. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. After the investigation ended and prosecutors had no more questions, after reporters stopped calling and the years passed since that deadly night, the man who was the sound technician and stage manager at The Station nightclub was left with his thoughts. He don't know. 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. Station nightclub fire survivor tells burn victims love can happen amid scars, fears: Joe Kinan has had more than 120 surgeries, not the least of which was a hand transplant. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. And I knew the window was to my left. We have an exit through the kitchen. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. 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. The third started that day. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. it became very, very hard to breathe. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. And outside I went. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. I found my soul was wanting.. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. [2] The final tally by The Providence Journal of people inside the Station during the fire totaled 462. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. 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. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. That happened in 2001. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge.
Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. There was nothing heroic about what I did.. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. 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.. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. 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.". And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. It had to be two minutes tops before the whole place was black smoke. Inspection records showed that just three months before the fire, the Derderians had been cited by the local fire marshal for having a secondary, interior door by the stage that opened inward, which violated regulations. there are other people who should be responsible. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. 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]. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. [48] Larocque had set various capacities for the Station in the years prior to the fire based on whether pool tables and other items could be moved. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. This article was originally published on Oct. 22, 2021. They all later accepted plea deals. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. Station Fire Memorial Park, a permanent memorial to the victims of the fire, was opened in May 2017 at the site where the Station once stood. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. She endured more than 50 operations.
REELZ announces documentary about Great White club fire The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters.
NFPA on LinkedIn: Station Nightclub Fire Survivor Returns to the Scene I'll be right back." And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. 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. [8], Great White had two opening acts for the February 20 concert: Trip, a group from Vancouver, Washington, and Fathead, a local Rhode Island band. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again."
The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was And I fell down the stairs, out that door. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. Jim Axelrod: If the brothers are relying on the fire marshal to tell them whether or not they can continue to do business. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. it was also on fire. It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen, she said. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. [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. [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. 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 . Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. And he's like he don't know. [2] The three were each charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter with criminal negligence and 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of a misdemeanor. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". 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. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. 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. I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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, [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. He don't know. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. [40][37] Derderian resigned from WPRI on June 30. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. 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. That's how thick the smoke was. local Four nonstop. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. I can't speak Everything was, you know, sore and hoarse I picked up the pen in very weak, you know, kind of handwriting I wrote, "I hope to make progress every day.". Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Most people still just stood there. 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. 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. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell.
The Station Nightclub Fire: Revisiting the Lessons Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. It didn't have a lock on it.
'We've been trying to move forward': Station nightclub fire survivor on A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. . Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. JEFF DERDERIAN [crying]: Many people didn't make it out and that is a horror that will haunt my family and I for the rest of our lives. [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. I never imagined that anyone ever would be. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. 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. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. 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.