[30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. 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. it became very, very hard to breathe. In the other rooms, the smoke hadn't gotten to them, the flame wasn't that bad, they didn't think anything of it. The Foam.". 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. They promoted the event. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. 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. Tracy died never giving up. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. Jeff Derderian: Why is it OK that the fire marshal is allowed to miss something or make a mistake and what he did was just an oops, but what we did was criminal? 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. On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. February 20 is the 19th anniversary of the tragic fire that killed 100 and injured another 230 people at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". [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. It just so happens that we're . 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. Absolutely not. [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. I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. 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. He trusted in his friends. Michael Derderian: Correct. And I'm like, "OK.". WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) Gina Russo, who survived The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003, spoke with NBC 10's Mario Hilario on the morning of the 20th anniversary of the. 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. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. [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. 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. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. 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? It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. You take one square inch of the foam, you hold it up with a roach clip and light it on fire with a wooden match. At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, Duo of 81-year-old women plan to see the world in 80 days, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Alex Murdaugh trial: What to know about the double murder case. I look at my scars every day. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. Jeff Derderian: Because in my mind I had nothing to hide. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. 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. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. JEFF DERDERIAN [crying]: Many people didn't make it out and that is a horror that will haunt my family and I for the rest of our lives. The club was not equipped with sprinklers, according to the NIST, and crowding at the buildings main entrance made it difficult for people to escape. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. I'm going to do this. Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. Jim Axelrod: Did either of you know anything about running a nightclub? 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. 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. [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. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. [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. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. That's when I turned back. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". 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. The charge is pending. 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. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. [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. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. 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 And I turned around, I said, "Get out, get out, get to the door, get to the door!" The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. The Foam.". And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. 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. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. One near the bar. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. And outside I went. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. "[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. 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: 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. Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. [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. Even if he couldnt. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. Its surreal. 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. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. That's what the code says. Jody King: I see the horror. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " these contracts are pretty specific. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. 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. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. I miss Tina a lot. How did you meet him? But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. Tweet. [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. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. And I stood up. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. [94] Kendall's version of Great White was to perform at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut alongside Stryper and Steven Adler on March 25, 2023, but the venue indefinitely postponed the concert on March 2, citing its proximity to the twentieth anniversary of the fire. The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. Season 1. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. She saw friends who had lost people they loved, others who had been burned and scarred by the fire, and felt embarrassed that she got out physically unharmed. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. [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. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" 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. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. 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. I have to find him. So, it was very quickly they were in the circle of people we should look at. Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. [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. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. We have an exit through the kitchen. In the months and years that followed, Jody also learned about Tracy's heroic last moments. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". 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? Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault?