station nightclub fire survivors list

Jeff Derderian: We feel a sense of guilt about what happened in the sense that you carry the guilt of knowing that these people aren't here anymore, and these people are hurt for the rest of their life. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. [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. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. [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]. So, it was very quickly they were in the circle of people we should look at. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. It was already in contract. A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. you could not see your hand in front of your face. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. Do you understand that anger? But never once do they say, "we screwed up." 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. [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. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. It just so happens that we're . 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. [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. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. This is a massive part of my life. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. It didn't have a lock on it. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. Gina Russo, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire. They promoted the event. [20], Great White started their performance at 11:07 p.m. on February 20. [11] Dominic Santana, the owner of The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey, told reporters that Great White had used pyrotechnics during their February 14, 2003 performance at the venue without his permission, and their contract and rider did not mention pyrotechnics displays. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. 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. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. Many of the families believed that the punishment was just; others had hoped for a more severe sentence. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. The Guest List is a strikingly visual film. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. The third started that day. 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. 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. [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. 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. [80], A permanent memorial at the site of the fire has been erected and named the Station Fire Memorial Park. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. A true hero would have gone for it, Vanner said. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. 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. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? Michael Derderian: Zero. Jody King: I see the horror. The answer is no. That happened in 2001. 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. It was completely preventable. They want to talk to you." The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry, Del Sesto said. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. Out of it. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. ", "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? [48] Some victims' families criticized the 48 Hours segment and the Derderians' involvement. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. He was the. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. It seems like yesterday We were going to get married in June and she passed away in February, Cain told CBS. [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. 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. [2] The follow-up inspection in December 2002 also did not cite the foam, and the inspector gave the building an "All OK" rating on his inspection form. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. It had to be two minutes tops before the whole place was black smoke. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. As we hold those impacted by this tragedy close in our hearts, we also remember the remarkable and courageous actions of first responders, public safety officials, medical professionals, and Rhode Islanders who sprang into action to save lives on that day and who worked to comfort their communities in the days and weeks following.. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. 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. [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. There's an exit near the stage. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. 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. Scott James: You have four exits. [9] The ensuing crowd crush in the narrow hallway led to that exit being blocked completely and resulted in numerous deaths and injuries among the patrons and staff. [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. 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. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. I never imagined that anyone ever would be. [5] Local bands that had played at the Station prior to the fire had used pyrotechnics during their concerts without incident, including a Kiss tribute band that had set off fireballs during their show in August 2002. I couldn't play an instrument. 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. Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? Bruce Cain also lost someone who he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with. For more information on your department or district joining the SAVE program click here or contact the California Fire Foundation at save@cpf.org or (916) 641-1707. However, fire professionals have few choices about what training should be provided and training programs are continually updated to incorporate new technologies as well as lessons learned from actual fire experiences. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. [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. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. It was crowded, and it was getting bad. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" 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. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. [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. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. [93] After a 2013 legal settlement between the two parties, Kendall's band retained the Great White name, while Russell's band was allowed to use the name Jack Russell's Great White. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. And I turned around, I said, "Get out, get out, get to the door, get to the door!" Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. 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. 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]. How he went from being a man with a job he loved and friends, to someone struggling with sobriety and guilt, suffering flashbacks at fire alarms and smoke-like fog. On February 20, 2003 at about 11:10 p.m., Jody King got a call that something was going on at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner said. Tweet. "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. And I'm like, "OK.". He still remembers that deadly night. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. [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. It was criminal, he says. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. [6], Great White, the headlining band of the February 20 concert, had risen to fame as part of the glam metal scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In an exclusive interview with "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod, the Derderians said they wanted to set the record straight and reveal new information about that foam and accountability. 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. It was really everything to me at that time. 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. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. 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.". The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. [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. "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. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. [62], In a letter to the victims' families, Judge Darigan wrote that he accepted the deal because he wanted to avoid "Public exposition of the tragic, explicit and horrific events experienced by the victims of this fire, both living and dead. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. In a statement, Rhode Island Gov. Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. Scott James: It should not have happened. I needed for that day to come, she said. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. . [40][37] Derderian resigned from WPRI on June 30. Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. "[23] Within 40 seconds of the ignition, Great White had stopped playing and left the stage and the venue's fire alarm began to sound, but it was not connected to local fire department. [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. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. 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. I did not lead them out, he said dismissively. She paused, her eyes tearing. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. But I should have at least tried.. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. A decade ago, a survivor . Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. I'll be right back." my dad was in the room. Foam the Derderians had installed along the club's walls and ceilings to conceal noise was highly flammable and "was equal to gallons of gasoline. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), R.I. State House homeless encampment removed after legal fight, After the 80th anniversary of the tragic fire, a Cocoanut Grove memorial is coming to Boston, This affordable airline says it will bring at least 20 routes to an R.I. airport. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Her bill was $646 that month, she said. 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Jim Axelrod: The fire spread so quickly because rather than fire-retardant sound foam, on the wall of the club was highly flammable packing foam. A staggering 100 lives were lost. REELZ today announced the network's original documentary America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List premieres February 20th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT presenting the deeply personal stories of lives forever altered by the tragic Station nightclub fire that left 100 people dead, more than 200 injured and devastated the tight-knit community of West Warwick, Rhode Island. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. 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. Why had the fire spread so quickly? 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. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. Everyone carries baggage and I think at some point you figure out how to pack it and carry it with you, she said. / CBS News. Michael Derderian: Correct. 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 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. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. 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. 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 [2] Larocque later told the Rhode Island State Police that he had not spotted the polyurethane foam during the November 2002 inspection because he was upset after finding an illegal inward swinging door that he had previously asked to be removed from the building. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. WEST WARWICK, R.I. -- Five years . Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. [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. [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. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. She got out. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. That was his gift. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. [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. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. 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? I couldn't hear screaming anymore. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. these contracts are pretty specific. Jody King: "Anybody see Tracy?" They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. 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. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. He said if there's. "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". This is solid gasoline. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. He don't know. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast.