Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. He turned back to see the crowd bottle-necked at the stage. Her bill was $646 that month, she said. [94] Kendall's version of Great White was to perform at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Connecticut alongside Stryper and Steven Adler on March 25, 2023, but the venue indefinitely postponed the concert on March 2, citing its proximity to the twentieth anniversary of the fire. Bruce Cain also lost someone who he was prepared to spend the rest of his life with. Michael Derderian: He finds the deficiencies, you have to correct the deficiencies and then signs off so that you so you can get your liquor license that happened in 2000. "Taking responsibility for your actions goes a long way," she says. 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 feels like somebody knew somebody who was in that fire or knew somebody who did, so the pain is very personal.". "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. [tears up, shaking his head]. On February 20, 2003 at about 11:10 p.m., Jody King got a call that something was going on at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. For people to know you can go there now and look at this beautiful park and talk to your person thats what I love about it.. [89] Kendall said in 2005, "We haven't played that song. Michael Derderian: No. Gina Russo, a survivor of The Station nightclub fire. And people just stood there. 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. You walk on the property, and it doesnt feel tragic anymore. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. 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. [102] It is left for each state or local jurisdiction to legally enact and enforce the current code changes. But Saturday night, as . The brothers have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. Greatly., Things that bother people you sit there and you shake your head and you go, if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, this month, this year, this decade, I mean, at that point its one of those things. Jim Axelrod: The fire spread so quickly because rather than fire-retardant sound foam, on the wall of the club was highly flammable packing foam. I just don't find him as guilty of anything. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. [9], The fire was reported to the West Warwick Fire Department by cellular phone calls to 911 within sixty seconds of ignition[24]. He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. Within weeks, the National Fire Protection Association committee met to regulate code for "assembly occupancies." The Station nightclub fire occurred on the evening of February 20, 2003 at The Station, a nightclub and hard rock music venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, killing 100 people and injuring 230. Jeff Derderian: We tried to get as far as we could. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. [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. Russell 's bandmate Ty Longley (guitar) was one of the people who perished in The Station blaze, which became the fourth deadliest fire in U.S. history. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. [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. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? [9] Michael Derderian told 48 Hours that it was "Undisputable" that the building's use of flammable packing foam instead of flame retardant sound foam was the cause of the fire's spread, but the brothers claimed that they had ordered sound foam and had received the packing foam instead. I couldn't play an instrument. Dan McKee stopped by the memorial on the 20th anniversary of the fire Monday. And he's like he don't know. It was there, she said, that she found the best therapists: others who had been in the fire. [92], Russell left Great White in 2010. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. 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. [104] The legislation would create a tax incentive for property owners to install fire sprinkler systems. [2], The first criminal trial was against Great White's tour manager, Daniel Michael Biechele, 26, from Orlando, Florida. I said to myself, we gotta go. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. [44] The NIST report was released on March 3, 2005 and was made available in two parts on June 30, 2005. How did you meet him? He had failed to get a license for the pyrotechnics from the State of Rhode Island and permits from the local fire department. [12] The rest of the lineup included guitarist Ty Longley, who died in the fire, bass guitarist Dave Felice, and drummer Eric Powers. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. [39], At the scene of the fire, Butler gave this account of the tragedy:[41]. [95][49], Neither version of Great White performed in any of the six New England states for over a decade following the fire. And it was ugly. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. [2] The three were each charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter with criminal negligence and 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of a misdemeanor. Its irrelevant.. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. He owned his own construction company, and he was often in the backyard with his sons, improving the landscape or building two ponds that he filled with koi fish. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. 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. WEST WARWICK, R.I. -- Five years . Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. [18][19] Gonsalves was the host of the WHJY program The Metal Zone, at the time the longest-running heavy metal radio program in the United States. Linda Saran: Yes. The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. Editor's Note: This story was originally published on Monday, Feb. 19, 2018. (crying) So I can't expect anybody else to. Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasnt had the nightmares. The Feb. 20, 2003. It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. S01:E03 - Station Nightclub Fire. [79], The site of the fire was cleared, and a multitude of crosses were placed as memorials, left by loved ones of the deceased. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. 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. And I sent it to her and the best compliment I ever got was oh, his hairs fantastic.. Jody King: Hopped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, grabbed my keys, hopped in the car and took off. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. People say they just feel peaceful, Russo told the Globe. According to author Scott James, Great White had reportedly used a large pyro display without permission at other clubs, including just days before the fire at a show in New Jersey. Scott James: It should not have happened. John Barylick is an attorney who represented victims in numerous wrongful death and personal injury cases arising from the Station nightclub fire. Even if he died trying. [88], Russell considered disbanding Great White after the fire, but reconsidered when he decided to embark on a benefit tour. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. 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 . Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. Cold air washing over me. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. [78] The event raised at least $25,000 in donations for the Station Family Fund, and was broadcast in March by VH1 and VH1 Classic. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. Firefighters responded within five minutes, and the building was fully engulfed within six minutes, according to a timeline assembled by WPRI. As a human being how do you not feel some sort of responsibility for that ? So, I would think that the pyrotechnic provision would be in there just like we need to have, you know, 12 M&Ms, I mean, you know, and they need to be brown. Gina Russo, who was in The Station on Feb. 20, 2003, barely made it out. I remember getting pushed from behind. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. It looked like a ladder of those black jelly bracelets from the 80s hanging in rings around my wrists. He was out there, and he just loved being in the center. 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. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. I ran across the room and I ran face-first into the wall. "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Legal action against several parties, including Great White, were resolved with monetary settlements by 2008. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Linda Saran: I could have missed it all. And I knew the window was to my left. [8], Great White had two opening acts for the February 20 concert: Trip, a group from Vancouver, Washington, and Fathead, a local Rhode Island band. My parents taught us a lot, a lot of things. Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. these contracts are pretty specific. [31], Four employees of the Station were killed in the fire. 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. I cant do it for the rest of my life, she said. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? "[63] He added that the difference in the brothers' sentences reflected their respective involvement with the purchase and installation of the flammable foam. Tracy died never giving up. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire . [11] For the 2003 tour, the band was billed as "Jack Russell's Great White". It was liquid fire. That's when I turned back. Todd King, a founder of The Station Family Fund, said today the fund . 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. Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. [101], The Derderian brothers conducted their first television interview about the fire in 2021 for 48 Hours. The Guest List is based in part on John Barylick's narrative non-fiction work, killer show, the station nightclub fire, America's deadliest rock concert. I don't even like to talk about it. For those who lived through it or lost a loved one, healing from the horrific scars, both physical and emotional, takes time. Stay up to date with everything Boston. We couldn't make it. Dont take life for granted and I miss her every day She was my world and now shes my angel.. How is it our responsibility if they gave us the wrong foam?". [99] 41 and a film based on O'Neill's play They Walk Among Us were aired by Rhode Island PBS in February 2013 in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of the fire. [48] Some victims' families criticized the 48 Hours segment and the Derderians' involvement. [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. One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. [48] The grand jury also did not return charges against Russell. Like, "get away from the building." He don't know. I don't care what I'm going to see.". 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. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. That was his gift. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. A California woman who had been injured in an accident and hadnt left her house in five years wrote her, she said. I will never forget that night, and I will never forget the people that were hurt by it. 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. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. [51], Victims' families have also cited overcrowding in the venue as a cause for the causalities during the fire. 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. 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]. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. But does that mean it's not a crime? some bleeding I could notice in my throat. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Two years after the fire at The Station nightclub, 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. I am proud. Barr says when he came to, he felt excruciating pain near the base of his spine and burning on his face. And they played the arenas. . This is solid gasoline. 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. At 55, he lives with his parents and keeps to himself. 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. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. [9], Thousands of mourners attended an interfaith memorial service at St. Gregory the Great Church in Warwick on February 24, 2003, to remember those lost in the fire. "There really weren't that many people around early in the night. I needed for that day to come, she said. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. 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. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. [2], In the months prior to the fire, the building had been inspected twice by West Warwick fire marshal Denis Larocque. [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". The pyrotechnics were gerbs, cylindrical devices that produce a controlled spray of sparks. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. As the crowd bottlenecked at the clubs entrance, thick black smoke poured out of the building and over their heads. Pyrotechnics ignited foam insulation that lined the walls and ceiling around the stage, the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded. 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. For years, he worked in Boston for Channel 7. It was that fast. But, you know, they have this following to this day . And I said my hands won't work. And settled for $1 million.