And outside I went. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. 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. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. 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. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. Fifteen years since that terrible night. 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. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. That's when I turned back. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. It was completely preventable. 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. The Station Nightclub Fire: Who's Responsible? Absolutely not. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." [21] The fire spread throughout the building and was completely engulfed within six minutes of the pyrotechnic ignition. Jody King: They blamed three. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. Sparks from the gerbs ignited the insulation foam, and flames were visible on the wall above the stage within nine seconds of their ignition. He owned his own construction company, and he was often in the backyard with his sons, improving the landscape or building two ponds that he filled with koi fish. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. [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. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. I figured I was on my own at that point.. But he didn't know what. 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. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. And I'm like, "OK.". Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? [26] The Cowesett Inn restaurant across the street from the Station acted as an ad-hoc burn triage and command center for first responders. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. 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. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. Season 1. Scott James: And the nightclub operator there was so angry when he saw what had happened in Rhode Island, he went public, and he even made public the contract that he had with Great White that showed there was no evidence of fireworks that were going to be part of the show. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. The message is, Dont forget. Never forget these people or forget what happened., Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. They didn't even let him talk about it. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. Do you understand that anger? People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. And I turned around, I said, "Get out, get out, get to the door, get to the door!" The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos The Station Fire: 100 victims in photos 98 PHOTOS More Stories Has fire prevention in RI improved since The Station fire? Since the fire, I have wanted to tell the victims and their families how truly sorry I am for what happened that night and the part that I had in it. But, you know, they have this following to this day . But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. [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. 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. I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. It was really everything to me at that time. / CBS News. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." One near the bar. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. 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. Jeff Derderian: They didn't even bring up the fax to him. We have an exit through the kitchen. [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. 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. She endured more than 50 operations. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. I am proud. Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." [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. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. But she refuses to live in the past. The Feb. 20, 2003. [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. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. We took shortcuts. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. 2003 deadly fire at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, Great White, Jack Russell, and Mark Kendall, National Institute of Standards and Technology, "The Station nightclub fire 10 years later: Healing continues as West Warwick, Rhode Island, takes next step in recovery", "The Station Fire: Timeline of a tragedy", "Station tragedy leads to tougher fire code", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 1", "Beyond grief: Trying to make sense out of the Station tragedy", "Tragedy Catches Up to a Metal Band Past Its Prime", "Great White Fireworks Set Off a Controversy", "The Station nightclub fire: What happened and who's to blame for disaster that killed 100? The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. 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. 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 In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. [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. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. She got out. ", "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? "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. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. [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. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. [81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? [43][45], An investigation of the fire by a Rhode Island state grand jury was started by then-Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch on February 26, 2003. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. [58] Others pointed out that Biechele had sent handwritten letters to the families of each of the 100 victims and that he had a work release position in a local charity. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. [21] The flames were initially thought to be part of the act; only as the fire reached the ceiling and smoke began to bank down did people realize it was uncontrolled. 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. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Great White was part of the lawsuit. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern. Scott James: It should not have happened. 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, JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. [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. [96] By 2013, Russell's group had resumed playing "Desert Moon". Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. I miss Tina a lot. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. 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. 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. 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. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. He still remembers that deadly night. 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. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. 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. He was the. [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. Michael Derderian: He's completely out of it. And it was ugly. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. It fuels you. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. [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. In February 2008, Providence television station. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. She had a cellphone that was working and handed it off to anyone who needed to call home and let their family know they were safe. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. A true hero would have gone for it, Vanner said. 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. He trusted in his friends. if I had nothing to hide, then why wouldn't you why wouldn't you talk to them and tell them what you knew or what you didn't know? and I just kind of went down on my face. 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. 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. [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. There is one consistent thing I have learned after 18 years in the And I knew the window was to my left. After 15 years of it being a dominant part of her everyday life, she said she is ready for it to be a part of her past. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. It was that fast. The third started that day. [76] Another memorial was later that night the West Warwick Civic Center. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. it became very, very hard to breathe. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. 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.".