He said if there's. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos - The Providence Journal The Feb. 20, 2003. Multiple injured after shooting at San Jose nightclub | KRON4 Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. 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. ", Scott James: They had their moments. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. 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. [21] The fire spread throughout the building and was completely engulfed within six minutes of the pyrotechnic ignition. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? Christina Pimentel wasnt at the Station 15 years ago but she remembers the fire that killed 100 people because one of them was her uncle, Carlos Pimentel Sr. [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. [33] One survivor claimed that a bouncer blocked a side door as attendees attempted to escape the building, stating the door was only to be used by the band. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. [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. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. I look at my scars every day. But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. I couldn't play an instrument. 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. Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? Father of youngest Station nightclub fire victim questions why owners 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.. Regardless, Lynch points out the Derderians still chose to take a plea deal instead of going to trial. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. This is the time to leave. 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. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. 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. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. I'm going to do this. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. 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.". That's when I turned back. Everybody just kind of turned. That specific. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." 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. (WATCH) The Station Nightclub Fire is Remembered in the Documentary As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. It was already in contract. [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. And I stood up. I couldn't get up. [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. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. [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. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. 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. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. [9] Jeffrey Derderian said the door was also installed due to noise, and they had removed it as asked, but sometimes re-installed it if the venue was going to be loud that night, and it was used by the band to escape the building during the fire. my dad was in the room. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. Greatly., Things that bother people you sit there and you shake your head and you go, if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, this month, this year, this decade, I mean, at that point its one of those things. Even if he died trying. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. [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. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. 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. Jody King: I see the horror. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. You should be proud." 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. They were told to take it down. We took shortcuts. In 2017 a memorial was opened to honor the100 innocent lives that were tragically lost in The Station fire, including Tracy King, who died saving so many others. 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? Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. We screwed up." The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. "Literally laid there and said, 'God please just take care of my family,' because I knew I was going to die,'" survivor Linda Saran recalls. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. 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. [80], A permanent memorial at the site of the fire has been erected and named the Station Fire Memorial Park. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? On the 19th Anniversary of The Station Nightclub Fire, "America'S Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. Even if he couldnt. / CBS News. Station Nightclub Tragedy Revisited Five Years Later | Firehouse American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said. And people just stood there. And he's like he don't know. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. Do you understand that anger? Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. it was also on fire. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. 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. So, I would think that the pyrotechnic provision would be in there just like we need to have, you know, 12 M&Ms, I mean, you know, and they need to be brown. Jim Axelrod: If you have a message that you want the people of Rhode Island to hear, there were plenty of ways to get it out long before now. The charge is pending. 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.. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. Great White was part of the lawsuit. And they played the arenas. 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. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. [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]. Daniel Biechele, the tour manager for Great White who had ignited the pyrotechnics, plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006 and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with four to serve. I don't care what I'm going to see.". Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. [39] WPRI-TV and Derderian were criticized for the conflict of interest in having a reporter do a report concerning his own property. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. I refused to accept that as the outcome. "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. 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. Watch Alive S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire Free TV | Tubi It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. He don't know. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. The fire seemed to burn quickly, she added. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. 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. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. 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. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. It was liquid fire. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. [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. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. Michael Derderian: That is correct. Patrick Lynch: I don't think there's any question that had that door not been up a significant number of people would have survived. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. 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. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. [49][50], Lynch told 48 Hours that his investigation found that the fire spread quickly due to the foam the Derderians had installed in the Station's walls and ceilings as a response to noise complaints. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. That's how thick the smoke was. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. Scott James: You have four exits. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was 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. Jason Hahn. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. 0:57. [36] Butler was there for a planned piece on nightclub safety being reported by Jeffrey A. Derderian, a WPRI news reporter who was also a part-owner of The Station. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. And settled for $1 million. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . [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. 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. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. But I made a choice. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue.". [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. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. Michael Derderian: Correct. 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. 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. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. 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. Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. In Memoriam: Victims of the Station Nightclub Fire - WPRI.com JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. 9. But she said she also wants to keep the people she has met from that night, who she sees as friends and not sharers of a horrible experience. But, you know, they have this following to this day . It seems senseless that something like this could happen. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. [18][19] Gonsalves was the host of the WHJY program The Metal Zone, at the time the longest-running heavy metal radio program in the United States. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. And I knew the window was to my left. Phil Barr: Yep. [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. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. This is solid gasoline. [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. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. [63] Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch objected strenuously to the plea bargain, saying that both brothers should have received jail time and that Michael Derderian should have received more time than Biechele. [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. And it was ugly. 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. Linda Saran: The bar got quiet because people were dying literally and all you could hear was the roar of the fire and liquor bottles exploding. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Michael Derderian: We say that they we're sorry for all of it. [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. Share. [104] It was last introduced in the House in 2015 by then-U.S. Reps. James Langevin of Rhode Island and Tom Reed of New York.[104]. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. "[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. it became very, very hard to breathe. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. I don't even like to talk about it. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. 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. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? One guy did crawl out. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The third started that day. [9] Michael Derderian told 48 Hours that it was "Undisputable" that the building's use of flammable packing foam instead of flame retardant sound foam was the cause of the fire's spread, but the brothers claimed that they had ordered sound foam and had received the packing foam instead. 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. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. It's like a surge of bodies. Their story starts three years before the fire. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. SAVE | California Fire Foundation 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.
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