Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. I figured I was on my own at that point.. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. 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. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. "[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. [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. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. 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. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen, she said. [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. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. The Foam.". "It's hard to describe the level of agony. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. 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. 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. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. 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. They should have blamed more. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. 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? [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. [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. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. 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. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. [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. there are other people who should be responsible. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian reached a settlement of $813,000 with survivors and victims' families in September 2008. You know people didn't react instantly. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. ", "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? [21] Thick smoke began to fill the station one minute after the ignition and the crowd began to escape the building. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? [103], Inspired by the fire, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act has been proposed United States Senate and House of Representatives since 2003. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? Tweet. 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. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. / CBS News. I couldn't hear noise. I refused to accept that as the outcome. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. He said if there's. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. Phil Barr: Yep. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . In fact, they did the opposite.". Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. She paused, her eyes tearing. 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. Flames can be seen on the back wall. [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. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. 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. They were friends. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. 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. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. [26] The Cowesett Inn restaurant across the street from the Station acted as an ad-hoc burn triage and command center for first responders. Like, "get away from the building." He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. So, it was very quickly they were in the circle of people we should look at. [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. Phil Barr: A lot of people moved back towards the main entrance it became really clear that we were not going to be able [to] get out the front door. 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. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. She got out. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. 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. 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. some bleeding I could notice in my throat. 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. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. I remember getting pushed from behind. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. One near the bar. The answer is no. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. Cold air washing over me. And he's like he don't know. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see Great White, an 80s band now with some new members lead by singer Jack Russell and known mainly for their hit "Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? 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. 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. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. 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. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. [79], The site of the fire was cleared, and a multitude of crosses were placed as memorials, left by loved ones of the deceased. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. I'll be right back." It's like a surge of bodies. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. It just so happens that we're . It was crowded, and it was getting bad. He trusted in his friends. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. [86][87] The memorial dedication ceremony took place on May 21, 2017. Jody King: He was gregarious. I don't care what I'm going to see.". [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. 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. These days, she uses her job as a teacher at John F. Deering Middle School to make it so those who didnt suffer so directly will remember it too. I'm going to do this. [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. 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. my dad was in the room. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. 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. It was already in contract. And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. 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. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. He doesn't know. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. Even if he couldnt. I did not lead them out, he said dismissively. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. 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.. [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. They all later accepted plea deals. and I just kind of went down on my face. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. [52] Speaking to the public for the first time since the fire, Biechele stated: For three years, I've wanted to be able to speak to the people that were affected by this tragedy, but I know that there's nothing that I can say or do that will undo what happened that night. That's when I turned back. ", Scott James: They had their moments. And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. 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. 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. Bruce Cain also lost someone who he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with. They were told to take it down. 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. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " 0:57. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. I needed for that day to come, she said. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. Barr was now outside, but he felt like his lungs were on fire. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. And I'm like, "OK.". Their story starts three years before the fire. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. 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. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . Stay up to date with everything Boston. It was like what? Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. [40][37] Derderian resigned from WPRI on June 30. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. 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. And they played the arenas. That happened in 2002. What kind of club was this? Fifteen years since that terrible night. [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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I have to find him. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. The fire seemed to burn quickly, she added. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. [9] Jeffrey Derderian said the door was also installed due to noise, and they had removed it as asked, but sometimes re-installed it if the venue was going to be loud that night, and it was used by the band to escape the building during the fire. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. Phil Barr: I loved it. 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? That happened in 2001. I had no control over my muscles. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. One near the bar. [56], The sentence drew mixed reactions in the courtroom. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. [tears up, shaking his head]. fine against Station Nightclub owners upheld", "Station nightclub fire survivor tells how she's moved on in new book", "The Station fire took emotional toll on survivors, study finds", "Tentative $30 million deal in R. I. nightclub fire", "TV station that assigned reporter to cover his own nightclub raises ethical issue", "Station Video Spurs Lawsuit - Pollstar News", "Nightclub owner resigns from WPRI television", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire: Appendices (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 2", "Grand Jury Convened to Probe Deadly R.I. 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. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [78], On the twentieth anniversary of the fire on February 20, 2023, Rhode Island governor Dan McKee ordered flags in Rhode Island lowered to half-staff for the day and the Rhode Island State House to be illuminated in memory of the 100 victims. 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. "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 why wasn't the foam company charged? 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. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. Survivors and friends of survivors active in the effort to turn the nightclub site in West Warwick into a memorial park recount the emotional journeys that brought them from 2003 to 2018.. 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. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Susan Nicol. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. 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. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. [81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. He don't know. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. Its irrelevant.. [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. Everybody just kind of turned. That's what the code says. Do you understand that anger? Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation.