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. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The message is, Dont forget. Never forget these people or forget what happened., Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com. [49][50], Lynch told 48 Hours that his investigation found that the fire spread quickly due to the foam the Derderians had installed in the Station's walls and ceilings as a response to noise complaints. 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. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. I remember getting pushed from behind. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. [54] Darigan remarked, "The greatest sentence that can be imposed on you has been imposed on you by yourself. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. 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. One of them is never say die, never give up. [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". [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. It was completely preventable. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. [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. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." But never once do they say, "we screwed up." The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. [48] Some victims' families criticized the 48 Hours segment and the Derderians' involvement. It was the fourth deadliest fire in a nightclub in US history. That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab), R.I. State House homeless encampment removed after legal fight, After the 80th anniversary of the tragic fire, a Cocoanut Grove memorial is coming to Boston, This affordable airline says it will bring at least 20 routes to an R.I. airport. At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. [60] As of 2013[update], Biechele lived in Florida with his wife and two children. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. I needed for that day to come, she said. I'll be right back." [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. She paused, her eyes tearing. Based upon its work, Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) were issued for the national standard "Life Safety Code" (NFPA 101), in July 2003. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. [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. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. 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. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? [33] One survivor claimed that a bouncer blocked a side door as attendees attempted to escape the building, stating the door was only to be used by the band. I ran across the room and I ran face-first into the wall. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. And he says you can. After the investigation ended and prosecutors had no more questions, after reporters stopped calling and the years passed since that deadly night, the man who was the sound technician and stage manager at The Station nightclub was left with his thoughts. He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. "Literally laid there and said, 'God please just take care of my family,' because I knew I was going to die,'" survivor Linda Saran recalls. [2], Prior to the fire, the Station often hosted concerts by 1980s hard rock groups and tribute bands. [9][10][8] At the time of their performance at the Station, Great White only had two of its original members in its lineup: Lead singer Jack Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall. Linda Saran: Yes. 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. [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. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. [104] It was last introduced in the House in 2015 by then-U.S. Reps. James Langevin of Rhode Island and Tom Reed of New York.[104]. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. [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. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. It was late on Feb. 20, 2003, when the cold winter night erupted in flames. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. A staggering 100 lives were lost. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. [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. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". And I never expected it to take off as fast as it did. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. But it's fun. I just don't find him as guilty of anything. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Gina Russo, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" Flames were seen breaking through a part of the roof in less than five minutes. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? Nine friends didnt. I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. Firefighters responded within five minutes, and the building was fully engulfed within six minutes, according to a timeline assembled by WPRI. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. Tracy died never giving up. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. 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. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? So that was huge.. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. There was nothing heroic about what I did.. He don't know. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. 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. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". There isn't a guilt in terms of like, that we knowingly did this or or caused it but there's a guilt that we it happened on our watch, happened on our watch. Petrarca was sitting near the bar that night in 2003, about five feet from a door, when the fire broke out. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. [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. [60], Following Biechele's trial, The Station's owners, Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, were scheduled to receive separate trials. I don't care what I'm going to see.". The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. They all came so every single one of those hundred students held up a white rose and they represented one of the 100 [who died]. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. This is a massive part of my life. 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. 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. [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. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. But she refuses to live in the past. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. [24] Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fire, including every available West Warwick firefighter. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. into the main barroom. That's when I turned back. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. [3] A fire had previously occurred at the building in 1972 while it was used as a restaurant called Julio's. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. Tweet. In February 2008, Providence television station. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. 9. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. CBS Boston Rhode Island Gov. She endured more than 50 operations. 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. [5] Local bands that had played at the Station prior to the fire had used pyrotechnics during their concerts without incident, including a Kiss tribute band that had set off fireballs during their show in August 2002. Christina Pimentel wasnt at the Station 15 years ago but she remembers the fire that killed 100 people because one of them was her uncle, Carlos Pimentel Sr. Share. 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. 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. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. 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. Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. In fact, they did the opposite.". And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. That happened in 2001. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. Jason Hahn. 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. [38] Derderian had begun working for WPRI on February 17, three days before the fire. you could not see your hand in front of your face. We have an exit through the kitchen. But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? [25] Fire departments in Warwick, Coventry, and Cranston rendered mutual aid to the fire site. [9] Two gerbs were at 45-degree angles, with the middle two pointing straight up. The result is poignant footage contrasting very different life stories. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. Jody King: They blamed three. 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. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . [89] "I don't think I could ever sing that song again," said Russell. The night of the fire Jeff Derderian gave a statement to the local police and another one to an investigator with the Attorney General's Office. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. The charge is pending. During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. [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. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? 0:57. Jody King: He trusted the club. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? A decade ago, a survivor . He was the. 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. It was already in contract. 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. 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. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. [57], On September 4, 2007, some families of the fire's victims expressed their support for Biechele's parole. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008. He is now seven years sober from cocaine, although alcohol is a more pestering problem, he says. You were not approaching that area at all. Season 1. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. [9] American Foam refuted the claims in Warner's fax. It was liquid fire," says former Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who investigated the disaster. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. I don't know that I'll ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. He doesn't know. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. But, you know, they have this following to this day . In a statement, Rhode Island Gov. Cold air washing over me. it was also on fire. [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. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. [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. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. [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].
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