She said she went into the club that night a naive, fun-loving 27-year-old and came out angry and feeling guilty. [9], The foam was sold to the Derderians by American Foam. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. That happened in 2002. 0:57. [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". Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. Patrick Lynch: I can't remember, honestly. He trusted in his friends. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. That specific. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. 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. Share. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. [61] Michael Derderian received fifteen years in prison, with four to serve and eleven years suspended, plus three years' probationthe same sentence as Biechele. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? He apologized to the families of the victims and made no attempt to mitigate his guilt," the letter said. 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. It was already in contract. [94] Russell's group made its first New England appearance in twelve years at a harvest festival in Mechanic Falls, Maine, in August 2015. 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. Jody King: He was gregarious. 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. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. [14] In the aftermath of the fire, Great White and the owners of the Station disputed whether the band were allowed to use the pyrotechnic display during their concert. American Foam Corporation, who sold the insulation to The Station nightclub, agreed in 2008 to pay $6.3 million to settle lawsuits relating to the fire. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. Honored to have been able to attend such an in depth and eye opening training opportunity. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, who is featured in a REELZ documentary about the Warwick, Rhode Island Station nightclub fire, which killed some 100 attendees of a Great White concert in 2003, If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". Jeff Derderian: I don't know. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Within six minutes, the entire building was engulfed in flames. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. [1] The building that would become The Station was built in 1946 and was originally used as a gin mill. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. [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. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. [7][8] They were best known for their 1989 cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy", which reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. I couldn't get up. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. Linda Saran: Yes. And then on one side, I noticed it come over the top, and that's when I said, "I have to leave." [42][43] The Station, which was built in 1946, was exempt from a sprinkler requirement in the state fire code through a grandfather clause, which stated that buildings constructed before 1976 were not required to have a sprinkler system. it became very, very hard to breathe. Jody King: I spent the next five or six hours going back and forth in the parking lot talking to firemen, asking firemen, "can you please pull the sheets back for me? A decade ago, a survivor . She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. 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. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. VIEW ALL PHOTOS. I couldn't play an instrument. [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. Jason Hahn. One near the bar. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. The fire left her with burns over 40 percent of her body, it incinerated her hair. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. 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 . Even if he couldnt. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. I had the fire extinguisher in my hand, Vanner said. 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. That was his gift. I remember getting pushed from behind. Patrick Lynch: I don't think anybody in anything that they did wanted anybody to die that night or get injured. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. And that song reminds us of that night. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. Fifteen years since that terrible night. But 15 years later, she said, its time for her to move out of its shadow. ", Scott James: They had their moments. So that was huge.. It didn't have a lock on it. 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. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. S01:E02 - Joplin Tornado. Her father has seven brothers, Pimentel said, and she was especially close to Carlos. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. [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. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. We couldn't make it. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." "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. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? Almost immediately the finger pointing started. Eighteen years later, there was no consensus among survivors when it comes to blame. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. Jim Axelrod: Mr. Warner's fax wasn't presented to the grand jury, correct? Russo said that the memorial serves a valuable purpose today for those who knew victims. Jody King: As I went by the fire station fire trucks are coming out Now the question in my head is why are all these firetrucks leaving? But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. Jeffrey Derderian received 500 hours of community service. [98], 41, a documentary about Nicholas O'Neill, the youngest victim of the fire, was screened at Rhode Island theaters in 2008. These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. And the following year he was able to accomplish the impossible and rejoin his swim team. [34], Providence Phoenix columnist Ian Donnis wrote of the effect that the fire had on the close-knit Rhode Island community, "The loss of so much life would represent a tragedy anywhere, but it struck especially hard in Rhode Island, the nation's smallest state, where no place is more than an hour away by car and the fire claimed one tenth of one percent of the state's population. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. We took shortcuts. 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. Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. I never thought it would get so bad., He told bartender Julie Mellini that they had to leave, and she and several patrons followed Vanner out the kitchen door. undisputable. It did not. [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. I refused to accept that as the outcome. [47] Larocque was not charged by the grand jury, as Lynch had cited a state law that prevented charges against fire marshals without proof of bad faith. The State of Rhode Island and the town of West Warwick agreed to pay $10 million as settlement. The February 25 concert at the Dunkin' Donuts Center was broadcast Sunday night on VH1 and VH1 Classic. [32] The fine was not resolved until 2013, ten years after the fire, when it was upheld by a judge. Biechele. How did you meet him? But he didn't know what. [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 brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. Michael Derderian: It would have been horrific to have people go through this. 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. We have an exit through the kitchen. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Today marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, which killed 100 people. Brandon Fravale, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire, speaks with NBC 10 on how he copes with survivor's guilt. 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. In an exclusive interview with "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod, the Derderians said they wanted to set the record straight and reveal new information about that foam and accountability. Nightclub Fire", "3 indicted in R.I. rock concert fire - UPI Archives", "The Derderians are on a 'white-wash tour' about The Station fire, says father who lost son", "The strange and terrible true story of Great White, and the Station nightclub fire", "3 Men Are Indicted in Fire At Rhode Island Nightclub", "Foam company offers Station nightclub fire plaintiffs $6.3M settlement", "DAN BIECHELE SPEAKS Pre-Sentencing Statement GREAT WHITE TOUR MANAGER Station Nightclub Fire RI", "Fury, Tears and 4-Year Term in Deadly Blaze", "Band manager who ignited deadly Rhode Island nightclub fire freed from prison", "Manager Sentenced for Rhode Island Nightclub Fire", "Many families of Station fire victims supporting parole for band manager", "Band manager who ignited R.I. club fire is freed", "After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla", "Derderians will plead; AG says he opposes sentencing deal", "2 Brothers to Plead No Contest in R.I. 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. On May 20, 2003, nondenominational services began to be held at the site of the fire for a number of months. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. The Feb. 20, 2003. fine against Station Nightclub owners upheld", "Station nightclub fire survivor tells how she's moved on in new book", "The Station fire took emotional toll on survivors, study finds", "Tentative $30 million deal in R. I. nightclub fire", "TV station that assigned reporter to cover his own nightclub raises ethical issue", "Station Video Spurs Lawsuit - Pollstar News", "Nightclub owner resigns from WPRI television", "Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire: Appendices (NIST NCSTAR 2), Volume 2", "Grand Jury Convened to Probe Deadly R.I. [95] When Russell launched his version of the band in 2012, Kendall's group responded that Russell had no right to use the name. Absolutely not. 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. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. SAN JOSE (BCN) - Three people were injured in a shooting that occurred Saturday morning at San Jose's Aura nightclub. So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. [95], Russell performed a benefit show in February 2013 in Hermosa Beach, California in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the fire. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. Jody King: Nine different families have come up to me and said "thank you for having a great brother. And by then, the black smoke was pouring out over their heads. 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. Those at the nightclub had to act soon, as smoke was visible in the exit doorways in just over one minute. [21] A total of 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's maximum licensed capacity was cited as 404.[2]. [82] The stop was removed from the game by developer Niantic later that month. 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. 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. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. Jeff Derderian: Because in my mind I had nothing to hide. The Station nightclub in West Warwick burned down on Feb. 20, 2003, during a concert by rock band Great White, leaving 100 people dead and more than 200 injured. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. 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. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. [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. [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. Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. About a month after the fire Barr went home from the hospital. Jody King: I see the horror. The following day the brothers responded at a press conference: JEFF DERDERIAN: No permission was ever requested by the band or any of its agents to use pyrotechnics at The Station, and no permission was ever given. 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. We're running out of time." I said to myself, we gotta go. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . At first, there was no panic. After the fire, multiple civil and criminal cases were filed. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. In the end, the survivors and victims' families settled for a total of $176 million. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. *One SAVE card issued per household that experiences 25% or greater damage to a primary residence. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics.