And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. And I was responsible for the day to day. And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. And I knew the window was to my left. Nightclub Fire", "Judge Accepts Plea Deal in Rhode Island Fire", "Co-owner of R.I. club where 100 died to be released early", "Band to pay $1M in case over deadly club fire", "Great White offers $1M to settle fatal fire suits", "Derderians reach settlement in nightclub fire", "Governments offer $20 million in RI nightclub fire", "Packaging company settles in R.I. nightclub fire", "McLaughlin & Moran, Anheuser-Busch offer $21M settlement in Station fire case", "Home Depot Settles In R.I. The Guest List is a strikingly visual film. It just so happens that we're . In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? Jody King: Hopped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, grabbed my keys, hopped in the car and took off. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. "[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. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. 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. Both the brothers had other jobs. 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. Station fire, 15 years later: Survivors tell their stories undisputable. In Memoriam: Victims of the Station Nightclub Fire - WPRI.com I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. 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. And that song reminds us of that night. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. That's what the code says. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. The TIAs also required additional crowd manager personnel, among other things. But he didn't know what. About The Guest List They want to talk to you." Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. We're running out of time." I'm going to do this. I had no control over my muscles. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. [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. He says he managed to escape through the front door before a stampede of people got stuck in the narrow hallway and blocked the exit. 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. Susan Nicol. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. You were not approaching that area at all. He doesn't know. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. 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. 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. [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. [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. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Flames were seen breaking through a part of the roof in less than five minutes. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. "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. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. [20], Great White started their performance at 11:07 p.m. on February 20. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . That's when I turned back. It was completely preventable. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. One near the bar. The tour manager for the rock band Great White pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. I ran across the room and I ran face-first into the wall. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. And outside I went. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. Since he co-owned The Station nightclub with his brother Michael Derderian, Jeff suggested it as a venue for generic nightclub footage. Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. [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. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Bruce Cain also lost someone who he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with. On the 19th Anniversary of The Station Nightclub Fire, "America'S When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen, she said. Vanner has no excuses. And a quarter of those people didn't get to go home ever," says survivor Linda Saran, who was severely burned in the fire at The Station nightclub. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. They didn't even let him talk about it. Michael Derderian: He finds the deficiencies, you have to correct the deficiencies and then signs off so that you so you can get your liquor license that happened in 2000. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. [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. [94] Kendall's version of the band holds the copyright for the Great White name. That specific. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. 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. At first, there was no panic. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. As of September 2008, at least $115 million in settlement agreements had been paid, or offered, to the victims or their families by various defendants. She spoke with the Globe about Jefferey and Michael Derderian, the . Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. He trusted the owners. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. 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. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. This is a massive part of my life. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. 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. 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. The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. you could not see your hand in front of your face. I couldn't play an instrument. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. [21] Twenty seconds after the pyrotechnics ended, the band stopped playing and lead singer Jack Russell calmly remarked into the microphone, "Wow that's not good. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. Patrick Lynch: Looking back on it I would say they ran it as a side business, an attempt to maybe make some extra money with the callous, utter disregard for those that work there and assemble there. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. They were friends. Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. 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. I miss Tina a lot. I'll be right back." Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. One near the bar. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. [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. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. This is solid gasoline. We took shortcuts. [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. As we mark 20 years since that night, here are those who. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. Watch Alive S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire Free TV | Tubi There had to be that period for me. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. I found my soul was wanting.. Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. [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. It was that fast. [48], Following the tragedy, Governor Donald Carcieri declared a moratorium on pyrotechnic displays at venues that hold fewer than 300 people. [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. 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. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. "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. 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. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. [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. And I turned around, I said, "Get out, get out, get to the door, get to the door!" 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. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. Russell 's bandmate Ty Longley (guitar) was one of the people who perished in The Station blaze, which became the fourth deadliest fire in U.S. history. [9] In 2005, the Rhode Island Attorney General office received a fax from Barry Warner, a former employee of American Foam who lived nearby the Station, who claimed the company had known about the dangers of polyurethane foam but did not warn their employees about it. But I made a choice. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. American Foam Corporation, who sold the insulation to The Station nightclub, agreed in 2008 to pay $6.3 million to settle lawsuits relating to the fire. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. She said she spent years after that in pain and anger. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. 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. "[91], Two years to the day after the fire, band members Russell and Kendall, along with Great White's attorney, Ed McPherson, appeared on CNN's Larry King Live with three survivors of the fire and the father of Longley, to discuss how their lives had changed since the incident. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. 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.
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