station nightclub fire survivors list

It didn't have a lock on it. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. I don't even like to talk about it. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. His fiance, Tina Ayer, died at 33 in the fire, CBS Boston reported. But it's fun. [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]. 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. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. I went around back. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? Cold air washing over me. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. But he didn't know what. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. The club was sold. The loss is still fresh for her cousins, she said, even 15 years later. 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 I've been after this bike for over 4 years and I finally got the call! That was the most important thing, they didnt freak.. 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. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. . Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. And why wasn't the foam company charged? [9] The lack of usable exits were also a factor, as was the inward door that Larocque had found and asked to be removed. [30] Longley reportedly died after returning to the building to retrieve his guitar. 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. We're running out of time." I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. [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. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". [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. [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. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. People recall the events of the fourth deadliest night club fire in U.S. history. 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. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. [89] The band raised $185,000 for the Station Family Fund during the tour. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. [48] The capacity for the Station was either 258 or 404, depending on how the building was being used. [93] In the years following the fire, Great White split into two separate groups, one led by Russell and the other by Kendall. As we hold those impacted by this tragedy close in our hearts, we also remember the remarkable and courageous actions of first responders, public safety officials, medical professionals, and Rhode Islanders who sprang into action to save lives on that day and who worked to comfort their communities in the days and weeks following.. People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. The charge is pending. 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. There was a table in the way at the door, and I pulled that out just to get it out of the way so people could get out easier. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. 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 . But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. That's what the code says. The fire began as rock band Great White played to the crowd. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. 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. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. "[58] The state parole board received approximately twenty letters, the majority of which expressed their sympathy and support for Biechele, some going as far as to describe him as a "scapegoat" with limited responsibility. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. I couldn't hear noise. The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. 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. 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. The TIAs required automatic fire sprinklers in all existing nightclubs and similar locations that accommodate more than 100 occupants, and all new locations in the same categories. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see Great White, an 80s band now with some new members lead by singer Jack Russell and known mainly for their hit "Once Bitten, Twice Shy. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. This article was originally published on Oct. 22, 2021. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? We screwed up." Since the fire, I have wanted to tell the victims and their families how truly sorry I am for what happened that night and the part that I had in it. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Even if he couldnt. I noticed when the pyro stopped, the flame had kept going on both sides. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. The Feb. 20, 2003. [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". [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner 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. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. 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. [32] In April 2003, The Derderians were fined $1.07 million for failing to carry workers' compensation insurance for their employees. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. In my head, I didnt even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.. You know people didn't react instantly. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. There was no one coming out the back door anymore. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. Dan McKee honored the victims, their families, and the first responders who saved many lives. When fireworks ignited the soundproofing foam on the stage wall, he ran for a fire extinguisher. [100], Gonsalves was inducted into the Rhode Island Radio and Television Hall of Fame in 2013. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. It fuels you. A decade ago, a survivor . Her bill was $646 that month, she said. 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. She paused, her eyes tearing. He threw my wife, my cousin, my uncle, my sister out a window." 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. it became very, very hard to breathe. [9] The ensuing crowd crush in the narrow hallway led to that exit being blocked completely and resulted in numerous deaths and injuries among the patrons and staff. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Jason Hahn. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. [9] Although Warner was called to testify to a grand jury, he was not asked about the fax. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. They were told to take it down. 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. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. I have to find him. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. [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. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. [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. Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. I don't care what I'm going to see.". Michael Derderian: He's completely out of it. We took shortcuts. At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. 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. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. I never wanted anyone to be hurt in any way. Nightclub Fire", "WHJY, Clear Channel offer $22M Station fire settlement", "Service recalls victims of nightclub fire - Feb. 25, 2003", "Families visit scene of deadly nightclub fire - Feb. 24, 2003", "Concert for nightclub fire survivors nets $25K", "Governor McKee Statement on 20th Anniversary of Station Nightclub Fire | Governor's Office, State of Rhode Island", "Station Nightclub Fire Memorial On Track For 2016 Opening", "Timeline: Station Nightclub Fire, 15 year anniversary", "Station nightclub site will no longer be Pokemon Go destination", "Owner of burned RI club donates land for memorial", "Job Lot customers respond to Station Fire Memorial drive", "Memorial park dedicated to victims of Station Nightclub Fire", "Great White: Performing again is the right thing", "Providence nightclub fire charity rebuffs Great White singer", "After the fire: Great White, survivors live with the horror of Rhode Island tragedy", "Rhode Island Club Fire Tragedy Revisited with Members of Rock Band Great White", "Now There's Two Versions Of Great White | Metal Insider", "After The Fire: Feelings mixed and emotions high as Jack Russell's Great White return to New England", "Great White And Jack Russell Reach Agreement Over Use Of Band Name", "Great White singer's fire memorial concert nixed", "Mohegan Sun postpones Great White concert booked close to Station fire anniversary", "Documentary on youngest Station victim to be aired", "Films by RIC Alum Are Among Station Nightclub Fire Tributes", National Fire Protection Association web page "Nightclubs/assembly occupancies", Guide to the Station Nightclub Victims' Collection from the Rhode Island State Archives, Great Zeppelin: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Station_nightclub_fire&oldid=1142630889, Building and structure fires in the United States, February 2003 events in the United States, Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2013, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. I couldn't play an instrument. One near the bar. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The owners of The Station nightclub say their decision to finally speak publicly about the deadly fire there nearly . Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. He doesn't know. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. it was also on fire. Things that bring back memories of that night we try to stay away from. [76] The Rhode Island state fire code was changed after the fire to require every nightclub in the state with a capacity of over 150 people to have a sprinkler system installed.[3]. [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. Bruce Cain also lost someone who he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. Survivors and friends of survivors active in the effort to turn the nightclub site in West Warwick into a memorial park recount the emotional journeys that brought them from 2003 to 2018.. I would see the burn survivors, whom Im lucky enough to call friends, Del Sesto said. Stephen Sweet, a Quincy firefighter who lost his cousin Shawn Sweet in the fire, came to play the bagpipes at a memorial ceremony Monday, WCVB reported. It did not. I'll be right back." Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. [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. He said if there's. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. 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. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. I had no control over my muscles. View Image Gallery. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. It took about five years to come to terms with that, she said. In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The trunk bears the names of the fire victims. [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. 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. 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. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian reached a settlement of $813,000 with survivors and victims' families in September 2008. But she refuses to live in the past.

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