More than 460 fans had crowded into the wooden, single-story, 4,480 -square-foot nightclub known as The Station in West Warwick, R.I., to enjoy a Thursday night show on Feb. 20, 2003. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". 0:57. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. Purchase and sale had been signed. [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. The Foam.". REELZ announces documentary about Great White club fire She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. I'm going to do this. Even if he died trying. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." [35], The fire, from its inception, was caught on videotape by cameraman Brian Butler for WPRI-TV of Providence, and the beginning of that tape was released to national news stations. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. I had no control over my muscles. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. After 15 years of it being a dominant part of her everyday life, she said she is ready for it to be a part of her past. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. undisputable. Survivor of The Station nightclub fire reflects on 20th anniversary my dad was in the room. Jim Axelrod: Were you a fan of the band Great White? That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. Mon, February 20th 2023, 8:29 PM PST. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. The brothers decided that because Jeff had young kids, Michael would go. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. I figured I was on my own at that point.. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. "[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. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? This is a massive part of my life. Share. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was 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. [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. The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry, Del Sesto said. I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. On Feb. 20, 2003, 100 people were killed and more than 200 others were injured in a fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick. you could not see your hand in front of your face. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. 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. And I knew the window was to my left. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. 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. 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 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. it became very, very hard to breathe. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. [79], The site of the fire was cleared, and a multitude of crosses were placed as memorials, left by loved ones of the deceased. If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. The fire began as rock band Great White played to the crowd. [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. 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. She said she spent years after that in pain and anger. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. Gina Russo has no clear memory of how, with her hair on fire, she got out of the Station nightclub the night of Feb. 20, 2003. We have an exit through the kitchen. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. [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. It was liquid fire," says former Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who investigated the disaster. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [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. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 14:21. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. I needed for that day to come, she said. ", Scott James: They had their moments. That's how thick the smoke was. 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. Stay up to date with everything Boston. The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. I did not lead them out, he said dismissively. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. I ran across the room and I ran face-first into the wall. 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. [43][45], An investigation of the fire by a Rhode Island state grand jury was started by then-Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch on February 26, 2003. 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]. 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. 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. SAVE | California Fire Foundation [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. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. But she refuses to live in the past. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. It was that fast. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. 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 Station Nightclub Fire: Revisiting the Lessons 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 He was the. The Station nightclub fire: What happened, how many died, who was But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. Biechele. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. Great White was part of the lawsuit. Linda Saran: My hospital roommate, he and I took turns driving the respiratory therapist crazy in some ways it's almost like being in war together. And it was ugly. Nine friends didnt. I kicked out a side window to try to get people out of there. So that was huge.. On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. 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. Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. [42][43] The Station, which was built in 1946, was exempt from a sprinkler requirement in the state fire code through a grandfather clause, which stated that buildings constructed before 1976 were not required to have a sprinkler system. It was already in contract. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. 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. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. 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. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. Even if he couldnt. The flanking gerbs became the principal cause of the fire. A decade ago, a survivor . Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who is featured in a REELZ documentary about the Warwick, Rhode Island Station nightclub fire, which killed some 100 attendees of a Great White concert in 2003, [12] Kendall, who had co-founded the band with Russell in 1977, had rejoined Russell's version of the group in 2002. And settled for $1 million. The Foam.". Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. "[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. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. As a result of this and other similar incidents, fire chiefs, fire marshals and inspectors require trained crowd managers to comply with the International Fire Code, NFPA-101 Life Safety Code, NFPA-1 Fire Code and many local ordinances that address safety in public-assembly occupancies. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. 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. The pyrotechnics ignited the walls on either side of the stage and within seconds flames spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling of the club intended to dampen sound. The Station nightclub fire - Wikipedia 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. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. 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 was liquid fire. there are other people who should be responsible. Their story starts three years before the fire. [4] No occupants were in the building during the 1972 fire, but the interior was significantly damaged. Jody King: Hopped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, grabbed my keys, hopped in the car and took off. [20], Great White started their performance at 11:07 p.m. on February 20. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. That happened in 2001. 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. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. [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. 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. Flames can be seen on the back wall. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. [2] Larocque later told the Rhode Island State Police that he had not spotted the polyurethane foam during the November 2002 inspection because he was upset after finding an illegal inward swinging door that he had previously asked to be removed from the building. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. 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. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. It was really everything to me at that time. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. 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. Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. His work was instrumental in amassing 176 million dollars in settlements from persons and corporations responsible for the fire. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. it was also on fire. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". Season 1. Father of youngest Station nightclub fire victim questions why owners 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. About The Guest List In the aftermath, West Warwick, Rhode Island TV news reporter Jeff Derderian wanted to run a story on nightclub safety. The answer is no. How did you meet him? And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. The story of three survivors that were trapped when the massive Cypress Street viaduct collapsed. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. [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. And he's like he don't know. 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. My friends were dead, my other friends are severely injured, I no longer look like myself. Michael Derderian: He's completely out of it. Regardless, Lynch points out the Derderians still chose to take a plea deal instead of going to trial. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. There had to be that period for me. When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. Since he co-owned The Station nightclub with his brother Michael Derderian, Jeff suggested it as a venue for generic nightclub footage. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. In fact, they did the opposite.". Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. [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. I miss Tina a lot. On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. [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. [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. Michael Derderian: Zero. It's like a surge of bodies. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. 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.. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. 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. 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. [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. [48] Larocque had set various capacities for the Station in the years prior to the fire based on whether pool tables and other items could be moved. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. As numerous violations of existing codes contributed to the severity of the fire, there was immediate effort to strengthen fire code protections. 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. You bury nine people in a period of less than two weeks, she said, and yeah, I think it affects you. But I made a choice. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. In February 2008, Providence television station. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? 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. Most people still just stood there. One of them is never say die, never give up. [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. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. : In 2021, 48 Hours described the total civil payments to the victims and families as $176 million. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. [49] The tour started five months after the fire, and each concert began with a prayer for survivors and families. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. Absolutely not. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." The TIAs also required additional crowd manager personnel, among other things. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. And I was responsible for the day to day. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way..