Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. 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? One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. 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. 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. I had no control over my muscles. And people just stood there. [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. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. Patrick Lynch: The defendant had every right to go to trial and say, hey, if it's this mysterious fax that it's trying to be referenced today, 18 years later, hey, this is important. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. I could have missed that My friends that didn't survive that night have missed that. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. 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.. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. 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. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. [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. Susan Nicol. How did you meet him? It did not. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. Now, Russo leads the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which oversees a memorial that stands where the nightclub once went up in flames, The Boston Globe reported. At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. 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. Obviously the nightclub was not in compliance, and there never should have been pyrotechnics, but there's no evidence the bouncers blocked people from . And he says you can. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. [31], Four employees of the Station were killed in the fire. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. ", Scott James: They had their moments. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. Daniel Biechele, the tour manager for Great White who had ignited the pyrotechnics, plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006 and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison with four to serve. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . There had to be that period for me. [21], By this time, the nightclub's fire alarm had activated, and although there were four possible exits, most people headed for the front door through which they had entered. [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. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. [94] Kendall's version of the band holds the copyright for the Great White name. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. That's when I turned back. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. [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. Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. [17][16], The concert was emceed by Michael Gonsalves, a disk jockey for Providence rock radio station WHJY who was also known as "Doctor Metal". It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. You were not approaching that area at all. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. 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. 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. [60], Following Biechele's trial, The Station's owners, Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, were scheduled to receive separate trials. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The Station nightclub fire, where 100 people died and hundreds more were hurt, will never be forgotten by those who were there or lost loved ones that February night.. my dad was in the room. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. 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. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. Jody King: "Anybody see Tracy?" 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. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. And I stood up. 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. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. Jim Axelrod is the chief investigative correspondent and senior national correspondent for CBS News, reporting for "CBS This Morning," "CBS Evening News," "CBS Sunday Morning" and other CBS News broadcasts. There's an exit near the stage. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. And they played the arenas. I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". The result is poignant footage contrasting very different life stories. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. there are other people who should be responsible. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. One guy did crawl out. That happened in 2002. Today, we mourn the 100 lives lost in the Station nightclub fire and the hundreds more whose lives will never be the same. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. I don't care what I'm going to see.". Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. 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. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. And I knew the window was to my left. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." [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. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? 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. [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. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. To the families of those who died on that devastating day: Rhode Island will never forget your loved ones and we will always stand by you, McKee said in the statement. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. 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. 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. I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. [12] Kendall, who had co-founded the band with Russell in 1977, had rejoined Russell's version of the group in 2002. Tweet. Share. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK . He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. [8], Great White had two opening acts for the February 20 concert: Trip, a group from Vancouver, Washington, and Fathead, a local Rhode Island band. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. Nine friends didnt. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. The Station nightclub in West Warwick burned down on Feb. 20, 2003, during a concert by rock band Great White, leaving 100 people dead and more than 200 injured. Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? [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. 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. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Gina Russo, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire. . Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. [2] The three were each charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter with criminal negligence and 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of a misdemeanor. "[58], Dave Kane and Joanne O'Neill, parents of youngest victim Nicholas O'Neill, released their letter to the board to reporters. Biechele was released from prison in 2008 after some families of the victims expressed their support for his parole. Why had the fire spread so quickly? That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. 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. [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. Jody King: They blamed three. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." One near the bar. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian reached a settlement of $813,000 with survivors and victims' families in September 2008. They all later accepted plea deals. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. I'm going to do this. The brother's plea deal stated only one of them would go to prison. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. Fifteen years since that terrible night. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. [84] In September 2012, the owner of the land, Ray Villanova, donated the site to the SFMF. In a statement, Rhode Island Gov. Its irrelevant.. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. 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. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through," explains Scott James. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. these contracts are pretty specific. Everybody just kind of turned. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner said. Stay up to date with everything Boston. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. He said if there's. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. It seems senseless that something like this could happen. Jody King: I see the horror. American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. At least 64 others were also sued, including the state of Rhode Island citedforthe fire inspector's failure to report the flammable foam during multiple inspections. 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. The brothers, however, find that hard to believe considering the foam covered the walls, ceiling and even the inward swinging door he cited as a violation. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. Patrick Lynch: Not only was the door up, which it shouldn't have been, opened inward which it shouldn't have It was covered in foam. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. It started as part of the fundraising basketball games she organized at the school. Flames soon appeared on the walls on either side of the stage and spread quickly along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling, intended to dampen sound.
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