Station fire, 15 years later: Survivors tell their stories: While many say they will never get over it, they have found a way to get along with it. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Photos showing the destruction inside of Pulse nightclub have been released. Pinterest. Disco music, then, evolved into rave music. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. 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? The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. Watch. People come here to cry. 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. 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. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. if I had nothing to hide, then why wouldn't you why wouldn't you talk to them and tell them what you knew or what you didn't know? Initial reports say that a pyrotechnic flare was released by a Russian soldier whom had just returned from Ukraine. Lynch also points out that the exits were a safety issue. The Station nightclub fire killed 100 people and injured more than 200. The warm-up acts went down well, and, by the time Great White took the stage, shortly after . In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. And, according to the brothers, it was one of the first exits used when the fire started. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. Another 230 people were injured in what ranks as the nations fourth-deadliest nightclub fire. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. It was the greatest nightclub ever built, and it was quite an experience to see this robot come out. That history necessarily includes his role in starting up Pulsations, which Rolling Stone describes as "the monster dance club that brought Studio 54 vibes to West Philadelphia.". Sadly, Pulsar the robot has not yet been utilized on the show. In many communities, the crucial task of inspecting buildings in search of potentially life-threatening fire hazards falls to just one person. Jim Axelrod: Describe The Station nightclub for me. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. Back in the early 1980s, Bar Rescue host Jon Taffer helped start the beloved Glen Mills hangout, Pulsations Nightclub a period that he today appears to recall fondly. Absolutely not. He trusted the owners. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. Jeff Derderian: None of the inspections and then follow-up inspections. Back in 1983, Bar Rescue host Jon Taffer helped start the beloved Glen Mills hangout, Pulsations Nightclub a period that he today appears to recall fondly. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? . Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? And they're quick to point out the club was inspected by their insurance company, and multiple times by the local Fire Marshal Denis Laroque. They didn't even let him talk about it. Linda Saran: Yes. Isn't that an important fact in determining who's at fault? Touch device users, explore by touch or . The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? there are other people who should be responsible. 0:57. 5. 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. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. It was a promotion called Thanks for the Mammaries. How tragedy inspired one member of Great White: After the fire, Mark Kendall, guitarist for Great White, drew close to some survivors, and relatives and friends of those who died and were injured. The building was demolished in 1997. I couldn't play an instrument. The West Warwick, Rhode Island club The Station was purchased by brothers Michael A. and Jeffrey A. Derderian in 2000 and three years later became a scene of tragedy that would haunt Rhode Island forever. We make them every day, and we hope it doesnt cost a life.. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. How did you meet him? Scott James: And the nightclub operator there was so angry when he saw what had happened in Rhode Island, he went public, and he even made public the contract that he had with Great White that showed there was no evidence of fireworks that were going to be part of the show. WMFE's Danielle Prieur spoke with nightclub owner and onePULSE foundation founder Barbara Poma about why this year feels different than the last and how she remembers . 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. 2.10.13: 'It went up like a match. But she refuses to live in the past. Monday marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people. That's how thick the smoke was. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. As the California band Great White took the stage that February night in 2003, pyrotechnics ignited soundproofing foam insulation which resulted in a massive blaze. Gina Russo says she emerged from the flames in a better place: But 10 years after the fire killed her fianc, after 54 operations and skin grafts to heal her burned body and treat recurring complications; after periods of sadness, anger and frustration over who was lost, who wasnt prosecuted, who never apologized, Russo says she is grateful. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. Updated on: October 24, 2021 / 2:07 AM Band road manager Daniel Biechele, for triggering the pyrotechnics that sparked the fire. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. / CBS News. But, you know, they have this following to this day . 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. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. 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. He don't know. Michael Derderian: That is correct. 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. MICHAEL DERDERIAN: I plead not guilty, your honor. The fire was started by. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. 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. It was located at the corner of Route 1 and Dougherty Boulevard. Fifteen years after that deadly night, the rubble cleared away, The Station Fire Memorial Park opened as a place for victims, family and friends to come and remember. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. 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. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. Germany. So, I said to Deb, "stay here. Otherwise second-deadliest club fire in history. Jim Axelrod: Were you a fan of the band Great White? But what they received was highly flammable packing foam. FALL RIVER West Warwick, Rhode Island is marking the 20th anniversary of the devastating Station nightclub fire, though the fire's impact stretched far beyond Rhode Island, including . They threatened his family. Apr 21, 2015, 2:39 PM. "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 that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. There's an exit near the stage. Marc Goldbaum is the development producer. It has since been recorded as the worst mass . It's like a surge of bodies. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. A fire that occurred on the night of February 20, 2003, has been deemed the worst fire tragedy of the 2000s. Northeastern law professor and GBH legal analyst Daniel . Cold air washing over me. Get Pulsations, Glen Mills, PA, USA setlists - view them, share them, discuss them with other Pulsations, Glen Mills, PA, USA fans for free on setlist.fm! and I tripped over what I assume was a bar stool. Scott James: It smelled like spilled beer and stale cigarettes and everything was just a little bit frayed at the edge. For annual late-night Station remembrance, memorial a peaceful, meaningful addition: Station fire memorial nearing completion: Hundreds witness groundbreaking for Station fire memorial: Medical teams met the challenge; everyone who got out survived that night: In firefighters' hearts, the disaster isn't over: Quiet, emotional end for Station fire remnants: RI Hospital specialists, Station fire victims reflect after a decade since deadly blaze: Station fire, 15 years later: Survivors tell their stories: Station nightclub fire survivor tells burn victims love can happen amid scars, fears: Son of Great White guitarist cheers sick children to honor his dad: Gina Russo says she emerged from the flames in a better place: Fused by pain, Station fire survivors, loved ones mark 18th anniversary: Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Patrick Lynch: They are running the operation. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. But as he watched on television in 2021 theformer club owners,brothers Jeffrey and Michael Derderian,on their whitewash tour of the truthgo unchallenged by the reporter and producers of "48 Hours," he felt that agitation rising up in him again. 10. The Station fire:A Timeline of the tragedy, More:Should PTSD qualify for injured-on-duty status? It got so popular that they had a clone built for Rocky IV. For the rest of her life, she will bear the scars from that terrible night 20 years ago. She knew he was going to conduct the attack, federal prosecutor Roger Handberg said. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. The doors would open, dry ice fog would dump out, bright lights would come on sort of like that scene in Close Encounters, and this $400,000 robot would appear to levitate out of the ship onto the floor. Fused by pain, Station fire survivors, loved ones mark 18th anniversary: Theyre all here. Jim Axelrod: If the brothers are relying on the fire marshal to tell them whether or not they can continue to do business. "Literally laid there and said, 'God please just take care of my family,' because I knew I was going to die,'" survivor Linda Saran recalls. A fire at a nightclub in Cameroon's capital, Yaound, in the early hours of Sunday left at least 16 people dead and eight others seriously injured, according to news agencies . Photos of Orlando police officer Michael Napolitanos helmet, which stopped a bullet during Mateens shootout with authorities, convey just how close the cop came to the death. Published Feb 25, 2016. It was one of the deadliest nightclub fires in the nation's history, and an event that has had lasting consequences for hundreds of families. Barr was located between the stage and the front door. Pulsations was THE spot in the Delaware Valley in the '80s, and tonight "The Goldbergs" recreate the legendary nightclub for Barry's bachelor party. Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. So, before I knew it, this finger was contractured down in this position and the rest of them were all bent backwards because the skin had tightened up.". After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla.: How tragedy inspired one member of Great White. We've received your submission. It didn't have a lock on it. The main exit becomes clogged with a pile of clubgoers who had tripped in the surge. The original version of the following expose into the rock'n'roll lifestyle as seen in action during a post-concert meet'n'greet by The Fixx appeared in my college newspaper, Temple News, in the autumn of 1987, just after the events in question occurred.Then I added a bit of grown-up perspective to make it the 27th entry on my blog on Sept . And they played the arenas. That happened in 2001. some bleeding I could notice in my throat. "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. Jody King: He was gregarious. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. It would fly over the crowd on an I-beam track and come down over the dance floor. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. That specific. Converted warehouse used as an art collective and venue. I am proud. 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. It ended when the suspect failed to attack a 2nd venue and committed suicide in his van. It is now mandatory for nightclubs with occupancy over 150 to have them. But I made a choice. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue.". This 4.84 AC Land is for sale on LoopNet.com. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. While 94 of them have remained afloat, 84 have shut their doors. and I just kind of went down on my face. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Never-before-seen photos and details about accused Idaho killer. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. The day after the fire, before a medical examiner confirmed that his brother was among the dead, King was on the phone with the Derderian brothers and wept with them. Like, "get away from the building." And I stood up. . We have an exit through the kitchen. Poor security decisions make a nightclub too intense to manage safely. Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. Worst fire disaster in Berlin since World War II; death toll reported between 80-88, but considered to be 81. I couldn't hear screaming anymore. At least 64 others were also sued, including the state of Rhode Island citedforthe fire inspector's failure to report the flammable foam during multiple inspections. We bronzed the bras and hung them over the urinals in the men's room. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. More on the fire:The Station fire: 100 victims in photos. Almost twenty years after one of the deadliest building fires in history, the owners of West Warwick, Rhode Island's The Station nightclub are speaking out. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. In many communities, the crucial task of inspecting buildings in search of potentially life-threatening fire hazards falls to just one person. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. These days, though, Taffer has moved on to Bar Rescue, which will air 100th episode on March 6. Many involve pyrotechnic failures. 1 of 69. I could have missed my daughter's high school graduation, the birth of her children. Browse 411 station nightclub fire stock photos and images available, or search for station fire or station night club to find more great stock photos and pictures. Scott James: It was a typical kind of roadside dive. The answer is no. Salman is expected back in court Wednesday. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. The four exits inside The Station: "There's an exit near the stage an exit through the kitchen. Photos made public Tuesday revealed just a taste of the horror that unfolded during the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Fla., with stomach-turning images of a bullet-ridden bar, a shot-up . 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. That night, about a thousand revelers gathered to . As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. On June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old man, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States.Orlando Police officers shot and killed him after a three-hour standoff. Jody King: He trusted the club. Scott James: You have four exits. Pulsar would come out of a spaceship and dance with the crowd every night. Out of it. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. 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. Twenty years after the nation's 4th worst nightclub fire, Rhode Island is still dealing with the collective trauma, legislative fallout and lasting impacts of The Station nightclub fire. That's partially because of a $400,000 dancing robot named Pulsar, which would later appear in Rocky IV: Pulsations was the brainchild of a gentleman named Leon Altemose. The fire started at the West Warwick club when a manager for the band Great White set off pyrotechnics for the band's show. One of the worst mass shootings in US history claimed 49 lives at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. Jack Russell declined "48 Hours"' request for an interview. 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. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. 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. It was THE spot in the Delaware Valley in the '80s, and tonight "The Goldbergs" recreate the legendary nightclub for Barry's bachelor party. 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. 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. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. Firefighter and RI state Rep. talks trauma. Jon Taffer saves bars that are on the verge of shutting down on his reality show Bar Rescue.So far, he has rescued 188 bars across the United States. Firefighter and RI state Rep. talks trauma, The Derderians are on a 'white-wash tour' in 2021 about The Station fire, says father who lost son, The former salesman for the company where the Derderians bought the deadly insulating foam says the fire destroyed his life. 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