station nightclub fire survivors list

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.". I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. The brother's plea deal stated only one of them would go to prison. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. [81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. At first, there was no panic. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. 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]. When fireworks ignited the soundproofing foam on the stage wall, he ran for a fire extinguisher. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. 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. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Jack Russell declined "48 Hours"' request for an interview. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. 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. [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. Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? It was crowded, and it was getting bad. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. [1] The building that would become The Station was built in 1946 and was originally used as a gin mill. 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. But it's fun. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Both the brothers had other jobs. So, the only way to pick up a can of soda would be to do this [lifting both arms out parallel in front of her]. And it was ugly. And I stood up. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. It seems like yesterday We were going to get married in June and she passed away in February, Cain told CBS. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. 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. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. 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. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. In the other rooms, the smoke hadn't gotten to them, the flame wasn't that bad, they didn't think anything of it. Nightclub Fire", "Judge Accepts Plea Deal in Rhode Island Fire", "Co-owner of R.I. club where 100 died to be released early", "Band to pay $1M in case over deadly club fire", "Great White offers $1M to settle fatal fire suits", "Derderians reach settlement in nightclub fire", "Governments offer $20 million in RI nightclub fire", "Packaging company settles in R.I. nightclub fire", "McLaughlin & Moran, Anheuser-Busch offer $21M settlement in Station fire case", "Home Depot Settles In R.I. 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. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. She saw friends who had lost people they loved, others who had been burned and scarred by the fire, and felt embarrassed that she got out physically unharmed. And I'm like, "OK.". [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. 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. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. . And I turned around, I said, "Get out, get out, get to the door, get to the door!" *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. 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. "We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out," says Jody King, whose brother worked at The Station as a bouncer. 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. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. 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. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. It was that fast. [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. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. John Barylick is an attorney who represented victims in numerous wrongful death and personal injury cases arising from the Station nightclub fire. [94] Kendall's version of the band holds the copyright for the Great White name. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. 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. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. And he's like he don't know. I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. 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. Even if he died trying. And that song reminds us of that night. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. [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]. [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. Jim Axelrod: Did either of you know anything about running a nightclub? And outside I went. But she refuses to live in the past. ", "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? [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. [52] Speaking to the public for the first time since the fire, Biechele stated: For three years, I've wanted to be able to speak to the people that were affected by this tragedy, but I know that there's nothing that I can say or do that will undo what happened that night. Vanner has no excuses. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". Like, "get away from the building." That happened in 2002. Phil Barr: I loved it. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. 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. His fiance, Tina Ayer, died at 33 in the fire, CBS Boston reported. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. That was his gift. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. [26] The Cowesett Inn restaurant across the street from the Station acted as an ad-hoc burn triage and command center for first responders. 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. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. 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. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. [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. 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. [35], The fire, from its inception, was caught on videotape by cameraman Brian Butler for WPRI-TV of Providence, and the beginning of that tape was released to national news stations. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. [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. 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. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. Tracy died never giving up. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. Phil Barr: A lot of people moved back towards the main entrance it became really clear that we were not going to be able [to] get out the front door. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. 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.. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? I couldn't get up. [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. 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. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. [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. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. That's when I turned back. Scott James: It was a typical kind of roadside dive. But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. It's like a surge of bodies. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. The morning after the fire, the lead singer of Great White, Jack Russell, claimed the brothers had given the band permission to set off the fireworks. Nine friends didnt. Its irrelevant.. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. There was nothing heroic about what I did.. 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, 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. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. Biechele. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. 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. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said. One guy did crawl out. "We wanted the full story to come out, not just some of it, and for people who want to come to their own conclusion on what happened that night," says Jeff Derderian. It looked like it was raining black fire. Regardless, Lynch points out the Derderians still chose to take a plea deal instead of going to trial. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. Cassidy was questioned by Customs and Border Protection in 2016, three sources familiar with the probe . 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]. On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. 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. It justit was so fast. This is solid gasoline. The TIAs also required additional crowd manager personnel, among other things. 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.. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. The Feb. 20, 2003. I look at my scars every day. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. 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. 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. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. 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. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. 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. One near the bar. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. 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. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. 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. [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. I went back around the front again, and that's when you saw people stacked on top of each other, trying to get out of the front door. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. 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. 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 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. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. He was the. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. [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. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. He said if there's. 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. [4] In 1985, it was converted to a pub, which closed sometime in the late 1980s, and a nightclub was opened in its place in 1991. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. Jody King: I spent the next five or six hours going back and forth in the parking lot talking to firemen, asking firemen, "can you please pull the sheets back for me? And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. . it was also on fire. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. It did not. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. 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. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. The Station Nightclub Fire: Who's Responsible? To the families of those who died on that devastating day: Rhode Island will never forget your loved ones and we will always stand by you, McKee said in the statement. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. [12] Great White's popularity had waned in the decade prior to the Station fire, and they had been performing on a touring circuit of small clubs with capacities of up to 500 people. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. Biechele was released from prison in 2008 after some families of the victims expressed their support for his parole. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM I don't even like to talk about it. [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. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. And he says you can. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. But Saturday night, as . [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. I needed for that day to come, she said. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. sentenced Biechele to fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probation, for his role in the fire. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. [40][37] Derderian resigned from WPRI on June 30. The Foam.". Many of the families believed that the punishment was just; others had hoped for a more severe sentence. [39] WPRI-TV and Derderian were criticized for the conflict of interest in having a reporter do a report concerning his own property. 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. Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. [tears up, shaking his head]. "[58] The state parole board received approximately twenty letters, the majority of which expressed their sympathy and support for Biechele, some going as far as to describe him as a "scapegoat" with limited responsibility. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety.

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