Scott James: They are what they call 15x15. REELZ today announced the network's original documentary America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List premieres February 20th at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT presenting the deeply personal stories of lives forever altered by the tragic Station nightclub fire that left 100 people dead, more than 200 injured and devastated the tight-knit community of West Warwick, Rhode Island. 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. 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. 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. One of them is never say die, never give up. He said if there's. I couldn't get up. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. These TIAs were subsequently incorporated into the 2006 edition of NFPA 101, along with additional exit requirements for new nightclub occupancies. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. It was that fast. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. I'm so sorry for what I have done, and I don't want to cause anyone any more pain. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. I miss Tina a lot. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. 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. [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]. "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. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. 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, and I just kind of went down on my face. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. 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. Jack Russell declined "48 Hours"' request for an interview. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. I come down every year and play the [bagpipes], he told WCVB. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) Gina Russo, who survived The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003, spoke with NBC 10's Mario Hilario on the morning of the 20th anniversary of the. The shooting was first reported at 12:04 a.m. in the 300 block of S. 1st . 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. [97] Russell raised about $180 from the concert, but the Memorial Foundation refused the donation, a decision supported by Kendall. So, the only way to pick up a can of soda would be to do this [lifting both arms out parallel in front of her]. [59], Biechele's parole and probation expired in March 2011. Jody King: "Anybody see Tracy?" 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 found my soul was wanting.. 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. [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". undisputable. Absolutely not. They said a critical piece of evidence was never presented to the grand jury. 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. It just so happens that we're evacuated due to the CZU complex fire but hey that's how. Gina Russo of Cranston, R.I. is a survivor of the Station nightclub fire and president of The Station Fire Memorial Foundation. You were not approaching that area at all. [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. 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. Its just one of those things thats ingrained in you.. Access remains open to the public, and memorial services are held each February 20. ", Scott James: They had their moments. A West Warwick police officer who was already at the scene also reported the fire to police dispatch. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." 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. Jeff Derderian: There's so many things that factor into the decision to do that. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. ", "20 years later, the effects of the Station nightclub fire still linger - The Boston Globe", "The Great White Nightclub Fire: Ten Years Later", "In West Warwick firefighters' hearts, the disaster isn't over", "How a West Warwick restaurant became a triage center for burn victims", "20th anniversary of New England nightclub fire that killed 100", "State supreme court to review penalty for employee deaths in R.I. fire - UPI.com", "Workers comp. [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. [37] The report had been inspired by the E2 nightclub stampede in Chicago that killed 21 people three days earlier. In the months and years that followed, Jody also learned about Tracy's heroic last moments. Linda Saran: Yes. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. He trusted the owners. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. Linda Saran: The night of the fire I got in for free. "[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. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. Scott James: It should not have happened. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. Jeff Derderian: We feel a sense of guilt about what happened in the sense that you carry the guilt of knowing that these people aren't here anymore, and these people are hurt for the rest of their life. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. Like you feel that kinship that, you know, "God, I really hope this guy makes it." [11] Although the band was officially known as Jack Russell's Great White at the time, and their tour was initially named after Russell's 2002 solo album For You, they were billed by the Station as simply Great White. The fire seemed to burn quickly, she added. So many ways this could have been avoided, Matthew Hoffman, an East Greenwich, R.I. resident, told WPRI. 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. He wasnt charged with a crime, but his thoughts punish him. It was criminal, he says. And I said my hands won't work. [12] Russell's relation with some survivors and families has been strained, although he remains close to Longley's family. Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, did not. I am proud. But he didn't know what. And yet, at the point in time, I don't think I knew his name. They were friends. 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. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". It did not. Jody King: I'm so proud to say he's my brother. The tour manager for the rock band Great White pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. Sparks from the gerbs ignited the insulation foam, and flames were visible on the wall above the stage within nine seconds of their ignition. once you could no longer see, it was total pandemonium. . According to Bostonherald.com, a memorial fund that raises money for survivors of The Station nightclub fire received at least $25,000 in donations after a benefit concert aired on television, organizers said today.. I had no control over my muscles. He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. 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. Parole board chairwoman Lisa Holley told journalists of her surprise at the forgiving attitude of the families, saying, "I think the most overwhelming part of it for me was the depth of forgiveness of many of these families that have sustained such a loss. Her father wont visit the memorial, and it took her years to be able to drive down Cowesett Avenue, she said. it was also on fire. When I turned around, some people were already trying to leave, and others were just sitting there going, "Yeah, that's great!" It was completely preventable. Michael Derderian: That is correct. They promoted the event. That specific. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam and say the club was inspected by their insurance company, and multiple times by the local Fire Marshal Denis Laroque. In 2008, the band agreed to pay $1. "[5], Many of the survivors of the fire developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the event. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. Witnesses of the nearly mile-wide tornado recount how they managed to survive. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes.