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0:57. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. Since he co-owned The Station nightclub with his brother Michael Derderian, Jeff suggested it as a venue for generic nightclub footage. There was a table in the way at the door, and I pulled that out just to get it out of the way so people could get out easier. The fire started shortly after Great White began performing their opening number, "Desert Moon". And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. 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. But I should have at least tried.. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. And settled for $1 million. It was crowded, and it was getting bad. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. Gina Russo, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. There was nothing heroic about what I did.. local Four nonstop. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . The Derderians bought the club as an investment. [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. "[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. [89] "I don't think I could ever sing that song again," said Russell. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. [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. [9] The ensuing crowd crush in the narrow hallway led to that exit being blocked completely and resulted in numerous deaths and injuries among the patrons and staff. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. S01:E01 - San Francisco Freeway Collapse. That was his gift. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. And why wasn't the foam company charged? [21] Thick smoke began to fill the station one minute after the ignition and the crowd began to escape the building. And people stood and watched it, and some people backed off. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. 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. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. 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. [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. It took a while, she said, but she thinks she had found the way to move on from it but to keep it with her as well. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. 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. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. The fire was the fourth-deadliest at a nightclub in U.S. history, and the second-deadliest in New England, behind the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire, which resulted in 492 deaths. 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. [76] Another memorial was later that night the West Warwick Civic Center. The Foam.". They were told to take it down. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. Absolutely not. That's when I turned back. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. 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. [90] Russell planned to donate the proceeds to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, but the organization asked to be disassociated from the concert, citing the animosity still felt by many of the survivors and surviving families. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. Station nightclub fire survivor tells burn victims love can happen amid scars, fears: Joe Kinan has had more than 120 surgeries, not the least of which was a hand transplant. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. And I hear [moves her arms to the side with a whoosh] and out Deb went. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. [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. [81] In August 2016, the site was reported to have been being used as a PokeStop in Pokmon Go, to uproar from victims' families. 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? Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. You know people didn't react instantly. That was in like the 80s. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. 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. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. 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. She endured more than 50 operations. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. It was criminal, he says. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. When fireworks ignited the soundproofing foam on the stage wall, he ran for a fire extinguisher. . In December 2003, nine months after the fire, Jeff and Michael Derderian were in court, each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter 100 for criminal negligence, and 100 for misdemeanor manslaughter. Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. [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. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. [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. And I said my hands won't work. There had to be that period for me. [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. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. 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. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. [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. I just don't find him as guilty of anything. [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. I miss Tina a lot. This is a massive part of my life. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. Cold air washing over me. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. Most people still just stood there. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. Tweet. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. [2], Prior to being converted into a nightclub and concert venue, the Station building had been used as a restaurant and tavern. 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. 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. [13], In February 2003, Great White was on an eighteen date concert tour, and they had been using a pyrotechnic display during their performances that some club owners had denied them permission to use, citing safety concerns. Do you understand that anger? Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. [61], In January 2008, the Parole Board decided to grant Michael Derderian an early release; he was scheduled to be released from prison in September 2009, but was granted his release in June 2009 for good behavior.[64]. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? But does that mean it's not a crime? He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. One near the bar. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. One guy did crawl out. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. Nothing lifts his despair. 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]. Share. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. Survivors of the Station nightclub fire reflect on tragedy's 20th anniversary One hundred people were killed and many more injured when a pyrotechnic display caused a massive blaze in 2003.. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. there are other people who should be responsible. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. 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.". Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. it became very, very hard to breathe. Season 1. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. 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. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. We're running out of time." Phil Barr: Yep. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. I never imagined that anyone ever would be. 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. So, the only way to pick up a can of soda would be to do this [lifting both arms out parallel in front of her]. 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.. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. I went around back. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. [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. 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 remember getting pushed from behind. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. Even if he couldnt. Michael Derderian: Zero. The fire began as rock band Great White played to the crowd. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. 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. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? Barr was located between the stage and the front door. 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. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. Jeff Derderian: I remember we were trying to get people away from the building. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. Fifteen years from now, she hopes, her students will go by the park, and have a memory, a connection, with the 100 people whose names and faces are etched into black granite squares arrayed throughout the park. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." Purchase and sale had been signed. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. And they played the arenas. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. 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. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. [93] In the years following the fire, Great White split into two separate groups, one led by Russell and the other by Kendall. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. In the other rooms, the smoke hadn't gotten to them, the flame wasn't that bad, they didn't think anything of it. 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. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. Jeff Derderian: Because in my mind I had nothing to hide. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. That evening she had a girl's night out with a friend while her young daughter was at a sleepover. 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. Michael Derderian: We say that they we're sorry for all of it. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. "[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. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. This is the time to leave. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. The third started that day. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " [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. Jody King: He was gregarious. He trusted in his friends. [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. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. [49] In 2013, Kendall told The Providence Journal that he maintained amicable contact with some survivors, victims' families, and the Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Their story starts three years before the fire. 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? Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. The charge is pending. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM 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? "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. 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. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. That specific. Scott James: The fire alarm you hear it kick in. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the Station nightclub fire, one of the deadliest blazes to ever occur at a nightclub in the United States. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. into the main barroom. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. It was like what? Michael Derderian: Correct. "We wanted the full story to come out, not just some of it, and for people who want to come to their own conclusion on what happened that night," says Jeff Derderian. 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. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. 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. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. View All 100 Memorials for the The Station Nightclub Fire Site. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. And he's like he don't know. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. 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. [21], Among those who died in the fire were Great White guitarist Ty Longley, and the show's emcee, WHJY DJ Mike "The Doctor" Gonsalves. [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. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . [48] Some victims' families criticized the 48 Hours segment and the Derderians' involvement. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. I can only pray that they understand that I would do anything to undo what happened that night and give them back their loved ones. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. He don't know. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. That happened in 2001. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. And he says you can. I figured I was on my own at that point.. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." 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 . Barr was now outside, but he felt like his lungs were on fire. I couldn't get up. 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. It was already in contract. John Barylick is an attorney who represented victims in numerous wrongful death and personal injury cases arising from the Station nightclub fire. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. And I stood up. [tearing up] "What a great brother you have. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. ", "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?

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