The 71-page document is the latest in the city's ongoing release of public records related to the Pulse shooting, which left 49 people dead and at least 53 injured. Keep me up to date! She sees telling the story of the Station fire as a way of preventing others from going through the same thing. He said, We do not allow pyrotechnics and it got us by surprise.. The names of the victims of the Station night club fire Russo suffered burns over 40 percent of her body. the Station nightclub . WEST WARWICK, Rhode Island (CNN) -- Fire investigators have recovered all of the victims from the rubble of a Rhode Island nightclub, and forensic pathologists are working round the clock. 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. Medical costs continue to mount, much of which will be paid from the nearly empty pockets of Rhode Island taxpayers, via Medicaid, and the budgets of a handful of local hospitals, which have been losing millions of dollars for years. The first was her life before Feb. 20, 2003. We talk about fire safety a bit, I dont get too, too far into it.. The charge is pending. I try to say it in the lightest way possible, she said. 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. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. Getting out didnt mean going back to normal. The scars on John Fairbairn's body have faded during the 10 years since he suffered severe burns in the Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I. . The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was on fire. . "There had to be that period for me. At 11:07 p.m., as the band launched into its opener . I can pick certain things up, but most of the time Ill drop them. The Scene. It is in equal parts fascinating, horrifying, heart-wrenching and inspiring. Two of the five friends she arrived with suffered serious. But she said she also wants to keep the people she has met from that night, who she sees as friends and not sharers of a horrible experience. The Station nightclub in West Warwick burned down Feb. 20, 2003, during a concert by rock band Great White, leaving 100 people dead and more than 200 injured. Brothers Michael and Jeffery Derderian, who owned The Station nightclub, for using highly flammable polyurethane foam as soundproofing on the walls of the club and for letting 462 people into a building, bringing it over capacity. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. WEST WARWICK, R.I. The Station nightclub fire, where 100 people died and hundreds more were hurt, will never be forgotten by those who were there or lost loved ones that February night. A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. They are a collection of blue-collar music fans contractors, Wal-Mart workers, strippers, struggling musicians who made the mistake of turning up on February 20th, 2003, to see a washed-up boogie band, Great White, ignite outsized pyrotechnics, talismans of a long-gone glory, on a tiny stage ringed by cheap, flammable foam. CNN reported, A statement released by brothers Michael and Jeffrey Derderian [co-owners of the Station nightclub] read: At no time did either owner have prior knowledge that pyrotechnics were going to be used by the band Great White., Dominic Santana, owner of the New Jersey nightclub Stone Pony, claimed Great White had used pyrotechnics during a show at his nightclub without permission. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time But there is more to be done. "In my head, I didn't even belong with them because I walked out without a scratch.". That vantage point was lost after one chopper got so low it blew open body bags containing victims' remains. MANSFIELD, Mass. That was the most important thing, they didn't freak.". That night, 492 people died. Hundreds witness groundbreaking for Station fire memorial: Cradling fresh flowers in the frigid cold, several hundred people gathered at the site of The Station nightclub fire on the 10th-anniversary service that included a groundbreaking for a permanent memorial and remembrances for the 100 lives lost. We all make mistakes. The tragedy happened during a set of the hard rock band, Great White. The burns werent killing her; it was the damage done by smoke to her lungs. 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. 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. "It was crowded, and it was getting bad. On February 20th, at 11:07 p.m. They would want to talk, she said, and they wouldnt freak. 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.During a concert by the rock band Great White, a pyrotechnic display ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Mr. King, Ms. Eagan and several other survivors started the Station Family Fund a few months after the fire, when they learned that one woman who escaped that night was losing her home. For the first February in 15 years, Lisa Del Sesto said, she hasn't had the nightmares. Tweet. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some accepted the letters and others refused them. The first two days of the Iraq war, Bush launched $500 million in Tomahawk cruise missiles to hit a target that wasnt there, says Dan Davidson, a videographer from Westerly, Rhode Island, who shot some dramatic still photos inside the Stationthat night. Vanner doesnt know when the night will be over. The band Great White was set to perform at 11pm on February 20, 2003 and the fans came in droves to see them. She wrote a book, meets with burn victims, talks to fire departments and fire safety groups across the country. Club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian were each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. The group came under attack for accepting about $100,000 from Great White early on, with some survivors and relatives of the dead calling it blood money. Rhode Island nightclub burns A fire at a rock concert in a West Warwick, Rhode Island, nightclub kills 100 people and seriously injures almost 200 more on February 20, 2003. Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the Station nightclub fire, one of the deadliest blazes to ever occur at a nightclub in the United States. Twenty-nine remained in. FireRescue1 is revolutionizing the way the fire service community 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. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. I said to myself, we gotta go. I dont think anyone is going to be made a millionaire and drive a Mercedes, she said. Ive tried to get this away from being about hair bands, about heavy metal, and to make this a people issue, Mr. Snider said. In the days after the tragedy, the Derderians and Great White disputed whether the band had permission for pyrotechnics. interacts online and researches product purchases People here were forgotten two weeks after the fire. Biechele and Great White, the Derderian brother, Larocque and the town of West Warwick plus a host of others figured into lawsuits that led to a payout of $176 million to those who were injured and the families of those who died. The father of Jessica and Sarah as well as Melindas husband, Matt, died in The Station fire. Petrarca remembers one of the most beautiful moments shes had. Copyright 2023 People come here to cry. Great White lead singer Russell and manager Biechele asserted they had the Derderians permission. Medical examiners have begun the. The Station nightclub fire, where 100 people died and hundreds more were hurt, will never be forgotten by those who were there or lost loved ones that February night. Do you want to stay up to date of all the news about Rhode Island? Part of the reason he served more time than Biechele may have been that Michael was less than a model prisoner. But instead, I chose to run like a common coward.. On Feb. 20, 2003, The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, burst into flames when pyrotechnics from the rock band landed on flammable foam installed as soundproofing. I found my soul was wanting.. She and Matt knew they were expecting a girl and they had already chosen her name. I submit that a brutal, draconian sentence like ten years in prison is not warranted by Dan Biecheles conduct.. A handful of defendants have settled, offering a tentative total of about $71.5 million. Immediately, the FAA declared the site a "no-fly" zone. Brothers and owners of The Station. Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.. Today she is president of the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, the group that oversaw the construction of the memorial park. Some tried to leave through the stage exit only to be confronted by bulky bouncers blocking their way, intoning, Band exit only.. He suffered third- and fourth-degree burns to over 40 percent of his body and was comatose for three months. Town fire inspector Denis P. Larocque, for not noticing the foam during an inspection a few months before the fire. Privacy Policy. So that was huge.. He sees his actions as a verdict on his own humanity. After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla.: Former tour manager who lit the pyrotechnics has left music industry behind, his lawyer says. Taking her students to the memorial park and telling them what it means were ways of building that memory, she said. She said she spent years after that in pain and anger. He was the most badly burned survivor of the 2003 Station nightclub fire. So that was huge.". The fire took her left ear, although the eardrum remains intact, and Russos hearing is fine. One hundred. 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. On Feb. 20, 2003, the nation's fourth-deadliest nightclub fire occurred in the Town of West Warwick, RI, killing 100 people and injuring nearly 300. Vanner wonders whether he could have saved them. The fire on February 20, 2003, destroyed the club - and remains the 4th deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. They died here, Jody King said of the100 people who died. Petrarca remembers one of the "most beautiful moments" she's had. Donovan Williams, who was badly burned, hopes settlements will help some. But with last springs 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. At the time that the fire began there were reportedly over 440 occupants in the club. The victims of the fire were trapped inside the burning building because it lacked sufficient means of egress such as egress windows. A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in five and a half minutes, as 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. It couldnt continue another 10, 15 years, it couldnt. There had to be that period for me. I needed for that day to come, she said. He sees a court-ordered therapist, who has told him he has depression and PTSD. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. station night club 411 Station Nightclub Fire Premium High Res Photos 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. Jeff told the audience that polyurethane foam is called solid gasoline by fire experts. I had fourth-degree burns there, which means my hair will never grow back, she says. Footage showed chaos erupt . The gunman killed 49 people and wounded at least 50 before Orlando police . The Feb. 20 fire at the Station nightclub initially killed 96 people and injured dozens. For the first few years she shunned memorial ceremonies but eventually was convinced to go. Meanwhile, Ms. Fisher and Ms. Eagan are brainstorming about how to draw more support. The Station Fire Memorial Foundation procured the land known as the Station Site on September 28, 2012 through a gracious donation. Robin Petrarca was in New York City three weeks ago, looking for some laughs in a comedy club. Across from the former Station nightclub site in West Warwick, R.I., a circle of crosses form a makeshift memorial to the 100 who died in a fire five years ago. You bury nine people in a period of less than two weeks, she said, and yeah, I think it affects you. The tragedy, she said, heightened her appreciation of the life she was allowed, for whatever reason, to continue. The states Crime Victim Compensation Program awarded grants averaging $8,800 to 222 claimants after the fire, but the government provided little else. And regulations dont mean much unless they are consistently enforced. While many say they will never get over it, they have found a way to get along with it. He refused to talk with reporters and entered an automobile driven by a lawyer. New fire-safety regulations became law in July, requiring sprinklers in more Rhode Island businesses and banning pyro almost everywhere, but some business owners in the state have balked, citing the cost of improvements. While many say they. People that were making $30,000, $40,000 a year had to take jobs making eight bucks an hour because they are so physically challenged, said Todd King, a survivor who lives and works in North Carolina now and runs the Station Family Fund, a grass-roots nonprofit group that still raises money for the worst-off victims. "This is a massive part of my life. But for anyone who was in The Station nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, she said, a night out triggers an awareness. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. 100 people were. If they think about us at all, its probably, They must be all better, so why arent they back to work?. As the. . She wore a spaghetti-strap top so he could see her scars. Vanner spoke about how his life derailed after 11:07 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2003. The bouncers had been instructed that door was only for band members and associates. That effort raised about $10,000 over seven years to help pay for the construction of the memorial park. Gina Russo, 36, a chatty single mother of two small boys, passed out from the black smoke and never saw who pulled her out of the crush of bodies piled up like cordwood at the clubs main entrance. The Station fire:A Timeline of the tragedy, More:Should PTSD qualify for injured-on-duty status? Her fianc, Alfred Freddy Crisostomi, who was behind her, pushing her toward the door, perished. Share. "It's just one of those things that's ingrained in you.". She endured more than 50 operations. Fifteen years since that terrible night. She endured more than 50 operations. The third started that day. Shrieks filled the air as people raced to leave the inferno. Nothing lifts his despair. The only thing I want is one of those huge TVs.. One of the first things Russo learned, when she woke up in April, was that her boyfriend, Freddy Crisostomi, 38, a successful house painter and the father of two children, had died in the fire, of smoke inhalation. For more information, please see our Shed read Russos book, about how the fire left her a bald chick, and it convinced her to go back out into the world. The band halted. 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. It was a lethal combination, a perfect storm of events that led up to catastrophe. "A true hero would have gone for it," Vanner said. It would have been my legacy, Vanner said. West Warwick police officer Mark Knott radioed headquarters: Stampede.. Joe Kinan was badly burned in the deadly Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island that left 100 dead and 230 injured in February 2003 . I never imagined that anyone ever would be. The former salesman for the company where the Derderians bought the deadly insulating foam says the fire destroyed his life: Barry Warner a foam salesman and neighbor of The Station nightclub suggested to the Derderians that they look into spray foam as an option to muffle the noise of the club. Ms. Fisher inhaled so much smoke that anguishing night that even now, she gets winded carrying a basket of laundry. The second was the time from that night until the dedication of the memorial last spring. Station fire memorial nearing completion: Organizers say they have raised more than $1.9 million of the $2 million needed to build it and maintain it in perpetuity. She had a cellphone that was working and handed it off to anyone who needed to call home and let their family know they were safe. He tells her he wishes that hed tried to extinguish the fire. '", 15 years after the deadly Station Nightclub fire https://t.co/ApQgkrkI7A pic.twitter.com/tytNEKAX5F. Last year, he was charged with striking a woman for whom he was a caretaker. 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. Weve been kicking around the idea of a black-tie ball, maybe at the Biltmore, Ms. Fisher said, referring to the fanciest hotel in Providence. They all came so every single one of those hundred students held up a white rose and they represented one of the 100 [who died]. Four parties found themselves at the center of the finger-pointing in the wake of the fire: Biechele and the Derderians, the only people ever charged in connection with the fire, each pleaded to 100 counts of manslaughter Biechele pleading guilty; the Derderians, no contest. In the aftermath, Vanner battled an addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, which he used to cope but which cost him jobs and his driver's license. 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. It had to end, for me and it ended in the most beautiful way.". 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