He says he managed to escape through the front door before a stampede of people got stuck in the narrow hallway and blocked the exit. [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. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. [tears up, shaking his head]. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. I know how this tragedy has devastated me, but I can only begin to understand what the people who lost loved ones have endured. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. "We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out," says Jody King, whose brother worked at The Station as a bouncer. 2021, shooting at a San Jose rail station. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. [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. Jody King: I see the horror. The Station was a nightclub that was located on the corner of Cowesett Avenue and Kulas Road in West Warwick, Rhode Island. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. some bleeding I could notice in my throat. Sparks from the gerbs ignited the insulation foam, and flames were visible on the wall above the stage within nine seconds of their ignition. DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. [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. 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. It seems like yesterday We were going to get married in June and she passed away in February, Cain told CBS. [58], On September 19, 2007, the Rhode Island Parole Board announced that Biechele would be released in March 2008. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. [76] Another memorial was later that night the West Warwick Civic Center. Regardless, Lynch points out the Derderians still chose to take a plea deal instead of going to trial. I couldn't hear noise. [2] The club was cited for nine minor code violations during the first inspection in November 2002, but was not cited for the flammable polyurethane foam the venue used for soundproofing, which was against code. 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. that door being up, there is no question that that increased the likelihood that many, many more would perish. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. I'm going to do this. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. [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. 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 manslaughter. 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. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. That's what the code says. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. Also there that night was Bates College student Phil Barr, who was home for winter break. "[55] Biechele was released in March 2008. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. Foam the Derderians had installed along the club's walls and ceilings to conceal noise was highly flammable and "was equal to gallons of gasoline. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. 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. We took shortcuts. 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. Since he co-owned The Station nightclub with his brother Michael Derderian, Jeff suggested it as a venue for generic nightclub footage. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. They promoted the event. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. PROVIDENCE Over the years Dave Kane has had to find a place to store his outrage over losing his 18-year-old son, Nicholas, in The Station nightclub fire in 2003. Jason Hahn. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. "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. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. 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. you could not see your hand in front of your face. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. He trusted the owners. . Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? 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. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. The third started that day. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. [62], In a letter to the victims' families, Judge Darigan wrote that he accepted the deal because he wanted to avoid "Public exposition of the tragic, explicit and horrific events experienced by the victims of this fire, both living and dead. Station Fire Memorial Park, a permanent memorial to the victims of the fire, was opened in May 2017 at the site where the Station once stood. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. [78] The event raised at least $25,000 in donations for the Station Family Fund, and was broadcast in March by VH1 and VH1 Classic. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. The crime scene evidence that convicted Alex Murdaugh, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death. I had no control over my muscles. [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. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. And if we could change it, we would. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. [12] Kendall, who had co-founded the band with Russell in 1977, had rejoined Russell's version of the group in 2002. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. [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. Even if he couldnt. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. That's how thick the smoke was. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. But he didn't know what. But it's fun. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. So that was huge.. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. In September 2008, The Jack Russell Tour Group Inc. offered $1 million in a settlement to survivors and victims' relatives. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. We haven't played it since then and probably never will. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . 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. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. It didn't have a lock on it. The fire quickly spread over the dance floor, along the ceiling. I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. 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. They all say I never would have stopped it, and I probably wouldnt have. Why had the fire spread so quickly? there are other people who should be responsible. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. Absolutely not. 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. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Investigators eventually discovered the fax was sent by Barry Warner, a former employee at American Foam the company that had sent the Derderians the packing foam made of flammable polyurethane. 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. [4] Another restaurant opened in the building in 1974. At first, there was no panic. What kind of club was this? The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. Nine friends didnt. The Station Nightclub Fire - University of Cincinnati pdf To summarize the reports, specifically about how people exited, the vast majority of people attempted to exit the way they came in. [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. [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. She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." And Paul Vanner didnt like what he saw. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. [22] Biechele used four gerbs that were set to spray sparks 15 feet (4.6m) for fifteen seconds. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. I can't speak Everything was, you know, sore and hoarse I picked up the pen in very weak, you know, kind of handwriting I wrote, "I hope to make progress every day.". [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. 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. He still remembers that deadly night. [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]. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? [24] The first West Warwick fire engine arrived at the scene at 11:13 p.m., followed by three other trucks shortly thereafter. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. He don't know. [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. In February 2008, Providence television station. One near the bar. Jody King: They blamed three. And I'm like, "OK.". Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. Scott James: The fire alarm you hear it kick in. . On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history occurred in The Station nightclub. 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]. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. [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. "[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. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Barr was now outside, but he felt like his lungs were on fire. 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. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. She had a cellphone that was working and handed it off to anyone who needed to call home and let their family know they were safe. 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. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. Its surreal. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. 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. 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. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. Del Sesto said her life is told in three chapters now. When January comes each year, she starts a lesson, delicately, talking about The Station and how there was a fire there. [22] During the performance, pyrotechnics set off by tour manager Daniel Biechele ignited the flammable acoustic foam on both sides and the top center of the drummer's alcove at the back of the stage. [39] WPRI-TV and Derderian were criticized for the conflict of interest in having a reporter do a report concerning his own property. They didn't even let him talk about it. He was the. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". Purchase and sale had been signed. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. [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. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. [28], Of the 462 people in the building for the concert, 100 were killed, 230 were injured, and 132 escaped uninjured. And settled for $1 million. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. The Feb. 20, 2003. 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. 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. It was that fast. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. [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. [25] Fire departments in Warwick, Coventry, and Cranston rendered mutual aid to the fire site. How he went from being a man with a job he loved and friends, to someone struggling with sobriety and guilt, suffering flashbacks at fire alarms and smoke-like fog. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue. [9] In 2008, American Foam agreed to pay $6.3 million to the families of the victims of the fire. The brother's plea deal stated only one of them would go to prison. Phil Barr: I don't like to talk about it, but I remember feeling weight on top of me, and I'm pretty sure I crawled out from under another person to pull myself up. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. [4] The nightclub was purchased by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian in March 2000. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. [96] By 2013, Russell's group had resumed playing "Desert Moon". I refused to accept that as the outcome. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. Linda Saran: When I first went out the window, I landed on the stairs. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. But I made a choice. It was already in contract. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " 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. People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. And I remember that statement, because I was, like, this is not great. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - Saturday marks the 18-year anniversary of the Station Nightclub fire that left lasting scars on numerous families and the state of Rhode Island. The charge is pending. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. "[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. I went and laid down next to Deb and just waited to die. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. 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. Linda Saran and her friend Deb were in the atrium, huddled together under a table. Firefighters responded within five minutes, and the building was fully engulfed within six minutes, according to a timeline assembled by WPRI. 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 These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. Everybody just kind of turned. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. 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. 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. [9] Michael Derderian told 48 Hours that it was "Undisputable" that the building's use of flammable packing foam instead of flame retardant sound foam was the cause of the fire's spread, but the brothers claimed that they had ordered sound foam and had received the packing foam instead. 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. One guy did crawl out. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. [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. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. 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. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. 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. It was like what? But I dont want it to define the rest of my life. Out of it. I figured I was on my own at that point.. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. It was completely preventable. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. I have to find him. Phil Barr: I loved it. And I knew the window was to my left. It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen, she said. We couldn't make it. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. 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. 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. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? Nightclub Fire", "Judge Accepts Plea Deal in Rhode Island Fire", "Co-owner of R.I. club where 100 died to be released early", "Band to pay $1M in case over deadly club fire", "Great White offers $1M to settle fatal fire suits", "Derderians reach settlement in nightclub fire", "Governments offer $20 million in RI nightclub fire", "Packaging company settles in R.I. nightclub fire", "McLaughlin & Moran, Anheuser-Busch offer $21M settlement in Station fire case", "Home Depot Settles In R.I. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. [90] The band initially retired "Desert Moon", the song they were performing when the fire began, from their concert set list. That specific. I remember getting pushed from behind. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door.
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