Jody King: He was gregarious. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. Warner, who worked for American Foam, suggested they use polyurethane foam for sound insulation.. And if we could change it, we would. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. Jury selection begins Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006, for a trial that could last several months. The Foam.". Briody stated, Hes the only man to say, I apologize. . Please enter valid email address to continue. One of them is never say die, never give up. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Unfortunately, Jeff lost his life in the fire. "I had the fire extinguisher in my hand," Vanner said. All defendants settled. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . I couldn't hear screaming anymore. Firefighters continue to work at the smoldering scene of a deadly fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I. Friday, Feb. 21, 2003. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. Seconds later, flames appeared on the back wall. The part at the end where the guy runs out on fire is harsh to watch. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. So that was huge.". Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. They behaved without flexibility despite the emergency. The one-story building burned to the ground in about three minutes. Robin Petrarca of Warwick, R.I., right, is embraced by her friend Jessica Studley of West Greenwich, R.I., at the scene of a fatal nightclub fire, Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, in West Warwick, R.I. Holiday Inn located in Fort Lee circa the 1960s. Doomed fans stuck in the doorway of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI. Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case: A timeline of events. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? 2 Aug 1970 - 20 Feb 2003. The cameraman managed to escape. "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. Part of the reason he served more time than Biechele may have been that Michael was less than a model prisoner. Biechele frequently paused to choke back tears as he said, Since the fire Ive 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. Scott James: They only have about 60 seconds to get out of the building if they're going to live. CNN further stated, Rhode Island fire marshal Jesse Owens said a licensed pyrotechnician must apply for a permit to use fireworks during a performance. No one with Great White had applied for the permit and Biechele had no pyrotechnician license. The Station Nightclub was a popular heavy metal nightclub in West Warwick, RI built in 1946 and grandfathered out of the 1976 fire sprinkler law. 9. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. I'm going to do this. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. Editors note: Ad blockers can cause photos and captions to appear out of order or show information unrelated to the photo displayed. Biechele was released from prison on March 19, 2008 after serving less than half his four-year sentence. "I figured I was on my own at that point.". The noxious smell triggered panic. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. And why wasn't the foam company charged? it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. (Photo/Wikimedia Commons) Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some. Eighteen years later, there is no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. Fifteen years from now, she hopes, her students will go by the park, and have a memory, a connection, with the 100 people whose names and faces are etched into black granite squares arrayed throughout the park. A firefighter holds his hand to his forehead as he stands amidst the rubble at the scene of a deadly fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I. Friday, Feb. 21, 2003. Some accepted the letters and others refused them. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. Jim Axelrod: Did either of you know anything about running a nightclub? On the night of February 20, 2003, more than 400 music fans packed into the small Station nightclub. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Patrick Lynch: Did he do his job perfectly? And I was responsible for the day to day. 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. But, you know, they have this following to this day . He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. A lone gunman, Omar Mateen, shot and killed 49 patrons and wounded another 53 at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando. 7. White reminded the judge that Biechele had not gotten the legally required permit to light pyrotechnics. It is a still from a video taken minutes before the fire broke out at the Station Nightclub in West Warrick, Rhode Island. He don't know. They were charged with two counts for every lost life under separate theories of the crime. A staggering 100 lives were lost. Jim Axelrod: Were you a fan of the band Great White? While jailed, Biechele penned 100 handwritten apologies to victims families. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Making a profit was more important than safety (see the Cocoanut Grove Fire, 1942; The Triangle Shirtwaist . I submit that a brutal, draconian sentence like ten years in prison is not warranted by Dan Biecheles conduct.. Police remove a body from the charred ruins of The Station nightclub after a deadly fire that officals say caused the death of at least 85 people, Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, in West Warwick, R.I. Steven Ayer, 55, of West Warwick, R.I., displays photographs of his daughter Tina, 33, near the site of The Station nightclub, in West Warwick, Friday, Feb. 21, 2003. Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. 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. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". She endured more than 50 operations. Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. Thinking it part of the show, people shouted, Its great!. into the main barroom. 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. While many say they will never get over it, they have found a way to get along with it. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. . Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. The fire alarms ring, flames burst all over the stage and thick black smoke pollutes the air. Cameraman Brian Butler was at The Station on February 23, 2003. Michael Derderian: No. From the air the burned remains of the Station nightclub where over 59 people died in a late night fire on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003 in West Warwick, R.I., is seen, Friday, Feb. 21, 2003. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). and our "You bury nine people in a period of less than two weeks," she said, "and yeah, I think it affects you. A Rhode Island nightclub erupted into flames during a pyrotechnics display at a rock concert, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 150 as mobs of concertgoers frantically rushed to escape the raging fire. Judge Darigan asked Biechele if he wanted to say anything before the court passed sentence. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. In this Feb. 20, 2003 aerial file photo, authorities continue their work at The Station nightclub where more than 100 people died in a late night fire, in West Warwick, R.I. A fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, and killed more than 230 people appears to be the deadliest in more a decade. On Feb. 20, 2003 100 people were killed and more than 200 injured after a fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick. Station nightclub fire scene, viewed from above. In the stampede, 21 people were killed. Jody King: He went on David Letterman twice to do Stupid Human Tricks. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. "It feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. But I don't want it to define the rest of my life. Enter https://www.firerescue1.com/ and click OK. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? Jeff Derderian: I don't know. Here are photos of the . Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. In the months and years that followed, Jody also learned about Tracy's heroic last moments. But it's fun. An acoustic guitar, in memory of the 98 fire victims, is left at the memorial fence enclosing the wreckage of The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., Tuesday, March 4, 2003. The brother's plea deal stated only one of them would go to prison. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Lexipol. Scan this QR code to download the app now. it became very, very hard to breathe. Scott James: It was a typical kind of roadside dive. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. One hundred people died, and hundreds more suffered. "I can't do it for the rest of my life," she said. You know people didn't react instantly. A passerby stops to talk to a police officer at the site of The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2003. Jody King: We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out. Copyright 2023 FireRescue1. Cold air washing over me. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. 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. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. [tearing up] "What a great brother you have. That happened in 2001. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. . You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. The Derderians say despite their love for the club the business had peaked, and they were in the process of selling it. 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. Im so sorry for what Ive done and I dont want to cause anyone any more pain. fire began late Thursday and destroyed the structure, and which officials say has taken the life of at least 85 people may be related to band's pyrotechnics. Jim Axelrod: Who's responsible for that foam going up on the wall? Jody King: When he walked into a room, if there wasn't a smile he'd start balancing stuff to get you uplifted and smiling. Great White was part of the lawsuit. PROVIDENCE -- State prosecutors have turned over to defense lawyers more than 850 autopsy photographs of victims of the Station nightclub fire, as part of the pretrial discovery process in the manslaughter case. A USA Today article reported, He completed his community service requirement last year [2007] with a local fire and rescue company and with a national agency that works for burn survivors., Michael served more than three years of his four-year sentence. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Jack Russell declined "48 Hours"' request for an interview. We talk about fire safety a bit, I don't get too, too far into it.". The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. Lead singer Jack Russell said, Wow . Flames can be seen on the back wall. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Inspection records showed that just three months before the fire, the Derderians had been cited by the local fire marshal for having a secondary, interior door by the stage that opened inward, which violated regulations. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? Even if he couldn't. They promoted the event. But with last spring's dedication of the memorial on the old nightclub site, Del Sesto said she thinks she has found a way not to forget, but to live with the memories. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. VIEW ALL PHOTOS Sunday marks 19 years since the tragic Station nightclub fire in West Warwick. I have to find him. You may additional context in comments. American Foam said Warner's claims about the company are false. On December 4, 2003 a grand jury voted 200 indictments against Biechele and both Derderians. YouTube / National Fire Protection Association. And while they weren't charged in the criminal case, survivors and victims' families sued them in civil court for not warning the Derderians the foam they sent them was flammable. Within seconds, sheets of flame raced up the wall. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. And it was ugly. It did not. And settled for $1 million. 10. you could not see your hand in front of your face. Hundreds of mourners have left flowers, stuffed bears and pictures on the fence to remember those who died in the fire there last week. "It made me realize, I might be only one person, but my story and my injuries were making people listen," she said. Phil Barr fought to breathe on his own. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. "It was criminal," he says. Images From Station Nightclub Fire - YouTube 0:00 / 1:52 Images From Station Nightclub Fire CommonVoices 121 subscribers Subscribe 670 Share 209K views 9 years ago Station Nightclub Fire. You were not approaching that area at all. Fire survivor Jesse Botelho, 30, of Pawtucket, R.I. speaks to reporters near the remains of The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., Friday, Feb. 21, 2003 The. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. But I should have at least tried.". The cameraman emerges safely from the nightclub, however there are 100 people who sadly do not ever make it outside. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. And I'm like, "OK.". Pre-9/11 Photos Of 9/11 Victims Taken Inside The World Trade Center Offices And On Ground . Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. Similar circumstances led to the the 2003 West Warwick, R.I., fire, where pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling of the music venue. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. In May 2000, the Derderians had paid a visit to Barry Warner, who lived close to The Station and had repeatedly complained about its noise under previous owners. He called his plea an effort to bring peace.. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? 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 a quarter of those people didn't get to go home ever," says survivor Linda Saran, who was severely burned in the fire at The Station nightclub. It was already in contract. Lexipol. Since he co-owned The Station nightclub with his brother Michael Derderian, Jeff suggested it as a venue for generic nightclub footage. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, Chief shares details about Calif. firefighters' strip club scandal, I cant breathe: Patient dies after 5 Calif. FF-medics violate policy, Fla. FF files complaint over photo of chief with 'Hitler-style mustache' giving Nazi salute on duty, Video: 6 DCFEMS members placed on leave after physical fight on scene, Open the tools menu in your browser. The Station nightclub fire (w/ Pre-fire footage) - YouTube The fire started about 11:08 PM, Thursday, February 20, 2003, just seconds into headlining band Great White's first song. Even if he died trying. Like, "get away from the building." I would forgive them in a heartbeat. We took shortcuts. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. Kiszla: One-hit wonders? . His camera caught excited, beer drinking, smiling heavy-metal fans. He was granted parole and then released after 22 months. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. Pictures of people only please! Browse 440 station nightclub fire photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Reddit's open forum for discussion of anything and everything about true crime, court cases, and the legal system. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. Man dead, 1 injured after loose tire hits windshield on I-40, troopers say my dad was in the room. There's an exit near the stage. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. Patrick Lynch: Not only was the door up, which it shouldn't have been, opened inward which it shouldn't have It was covered in foam. "The first time I went to counseling, I made the therapist cry," Del Sesto said. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island started when pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White set fire to flammable foam installed as soundproofing.. 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. Hundreds of people ran to the only exit many of them knew the way they came in. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. Copyright 02/05/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. "And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was 'oh, his hair's fantastic. Founded in 2010, Thought Catalog is owned and operated by The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. For over a decade, we've been at the bleeding edge of media, pioneering an infrastructure for creatives to flourish both artistically and financially. One near the bar. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. At about 11:00 p.m., headlining band Great White began the song "Desert Moon" and tour manager Daniel Biechele flipped the switch to pyrotechnics, producing sparks. The fight happened at the Spring Fling in Spartanburg. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. and suppliers. Glen Barber is a former digital photo editor for The Denver Post, PHOTOS: On this day February 20, 2003 The, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), PHOTOS: On this day February 20, 2003 The Station nightclub fire kills 100 in Rhode Island. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. As survivor Gina Russo and writer Paul Londardo reported in From the Ashes, the first theory was criminal negligence manslaughter, which results when the accused ignores the bodily risk to others and death results. One near the bar. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. Jim Axelrod: If the brothers are relying on the fire marshal to tell them whether or not they can continue to do business. The fire was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the evening's headlining band, Great White, which ignited flammable acoustic foam in . It was liquid fire. "It's just one of those things that's ingrained in you.". 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. Biechele flipped a switch that caused lead singer Blackie Lawlesss crotch to erupt with showering sparks. It is now mandatory for nightclubs with occupancy over 150 to have them. A firefighter, center, inspects the charred interior of the nightclub, The Station, Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, after a fatal fire at the club in West Warwick, R.I. A nightclub erupted into flames during a pyrotechnics display at a rock concert, killing at least 39 people and injuring more than 150 as mobs of concertgoers frantically rushed to escape the raging fire. "I would see the burn survivors, whom I'm lucky enough to call friends," Del Sesto said. Purchase and sale had been signed. In February 2006 three years after the station nightclub burned down many in Rhode Island were shocked to learn that instead of a trial, a plea deal had been reached with Daniel Biechele, the tour manager for the band Great White. It's official: Jamal Murray, Nuggets are in Phoenix's heads now. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Nothing lifts his despair. These 15 Photos of New Jersey In The 1970s Are Mesmerizing. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. She'd read Russo's book, about how the fire left her "a bald chick," and it convinced her to go back out into the world. The band Great White was set to perform at 11pm on February 20, 2003 and the fans came in droves to see them. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. And outside I went. She took a photograph of the stone of a man who died and sent it to his daughter in California. They were friends. 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. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. An Atlantic City vacation photo circa 1960. His attorney said Biechele wanted to be a private person.. It's the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for fire service professionals worldwide. 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. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. 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. I'll be right back." One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. So, it was very quickly they were in the circle of people we should look at. "I try to say it in the lightest way possible," she said. " Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. On February 17, 2003 someone discharged pepper spray to break up a fistfight in a Chicago nightclub. "But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.". Doomed fans stuck in the doorway of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. Michael Derderian: And I'm saying to him "Did everybody get out Did anyone die?" All rights reserved. And I said my hands won't work. Lawsuits brought by survivors and victims relatives were settled for $176 million. See more ideas about trenton, old photos, local history. Property owner Ray Villanova formally donated it to the Station Fire Memorial Foundation on September 28, 2012. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. (WJAR) Sunday marks 19 years since a fire tore through The Station nightclub fire in. The Avalanche championship dynasty crumbles less than a year after hoisting the Stanley Cup. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" 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. That day let her put a period on the last sentence of Chapter Two, she said. Survivor Russo experienced sympathy for Biechele whom she called broken but noted that, although he was anguished, any sympathy survivors had was tempered by our own pain. Her fianc, Alfred Crisostomi, had died in the fire and she had suffered burns over 40% of her body. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. '", 15 years after the deadly Station Nightclub fire https://t.co/ApQgkrkI7A pic.twitter.com/tytNEKAX5F. "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod reports. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? Scott James: He writes up this long, almost a manifesto about all the things that he thinks are wrong in that foam company that led to this tragedy. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. 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. Within seconds, sheets of flame raced up the wall. The club was sold. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadn't left her house in five years wrote her, she said. I had no control over my muscles. For more information, please see our Did a Wisconsin man's lies lead to the murders of his parents? That evening she had a girl's night out with a friend while her young daughter was at a sleepover. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. Her bill was $646 that month, she said. That specific. "As we're 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?'" Shrieks filled the air as people raced to leave the inferno. Early in 2001, Jeff reported on-camera about the fire hazard posed by foam mattresses. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. 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. Judge Darigan sentenced Biechele to four years imprisonment plus three years probation.
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