Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. my dad was in the room. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. That's what the code says. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? The third started that day. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. They should have blamed more. In the months and years that followed, Jody also learned about Tracy's heroic last moments. 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. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. [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. ", "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? I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. It justit was so fast. 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. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! [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. 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. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. In September 2008, The Jack Russell Tour Group Inc. offered $1 million in a settlement to survivors and victims' relatives. [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. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. That happened in 2002. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. 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.. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. So that was huge.. 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. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. [1] The building that would become The Station was built in 1946 and was originally used as a gin mill. I couldn't get up. In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. 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. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. 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. 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. [21] The Station did not have a sprinkler system installed. It did not. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. [2][46] On December 9, 2003, the grand jury announced indictments against Station owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian and Great White road manager Daniel M. Most people still just stood there. 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. Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. She paused, her eyes tearing. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. PROVIDENCE Over the years Dave Kane has had to find a place to store his outrage over losing his 18-year-old son, Nicholas, in The Station nightclub fire in 2003. We have an exit through the kitchen. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. 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]. 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. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. Jody King: Hopped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, grabbed my keys, hopped in the car and took off. But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. And that song reminds us of that night. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. [9], Thousands of mourners attended an interfaith memorial service at St. Gregory the Great Church in Warwick on February 24, 2003, to remember those lost in the fire. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. The Guest List is a strikingly visual film. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. "[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. I found my soul was wanting.. That specific. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. 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 manslaughter. In a statement, Rhode Island Gov. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. [7][8] They were best known for their 1989 cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Michael Derderian: That is correct. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. On May 10, 2006, State Prosecutor Randall White asked that Biechele be sentenced to ten years in prison, the maximum allowed under the plea bargain, citing the massive loss of life in the fire and the need to send a message. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. [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. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. 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. Jody King: I see the horror. Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. [27] A portion of the nightclub roof collapsed at 11:57 p.m., and a second portion in the building's sunroom collapsed at 12:07 a.m..[24] Patients were transported to Kent Hospital, which was filled to maximum capacity due to the fire. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. It was completely preventable. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. [tears up, shaking his head]. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. Biechele. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. . A decade ago, a survivor . He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. And they played the arenas. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. 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. Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. [17][16], The concert was emceed by Michael Gonsalves, a disk jockey for Providence rock radio station WHJY who was also known as "Doctor Metal". Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. Michael Derderian: He's completely out of it. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. And while they weren't charged in the criminal case, survivors and victims' families sued them in civil court for not warning the Derderians the foam they sent them was flammable. [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. First of all, I don't know you would, how would you how would you accomplish the detail and the amount of new information in a news conference or, you know, a commercial or something that we would try and do on our own. Out of it. I had no control over my muscles. 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. For people to know you can go there now and look at this beautiful park and talk to your person thats what I love about it.. [31], Four employees of the Station were killed in the fire. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. "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. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. That's how thick the smoke was. 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. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. We couldn't make it. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. Jim Axelrod: If the brothers are relying on the fire marshal to tell them whether or not they can continue to do business. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain.