Trending There were people right next to the door that didnt get out, she tells Rolling Stone. As the fire raged inside . Commercial companies and independent ambulance corps provided another 15 to 20 ambulances. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Both departments' apparatus remained on their respective frequencies with both chiefs operating jointly at the command post. Description of The Station Nightclub and the Feb. 20, 2003, Fire. The Mandalorian Season Three Gets Off to a Disappointing Start In the end, the 100-occupant threshold was selected, in part because it correlated with the threshold for requiring panic hardware in Group A occupancies in Section 1008.1.9 of the 2003 edition (which was changed to 50 in 2006). All rights reserved. A Providence Journal article stated when one first responder approached three co-workers at the scene, he said they wore the "thousand-yard stare" of horror. While the fire incidence was largely attributed to the use of pyrotechnics, the structural composition of the club exacerbated the rate of fire spread throughout the building. A program from a 2005 hospital safety seminar about The Station fire noted that no amount of training could have prepared the fire department for what it encountered. February 20, 2003. Rhode Island Honors 'The Station' Nightclub Fire Victims 20 Years Later NECN. I just walked out. While many say they will. The methods in our existing codes are based on sound protection principles that have stood the test of time. As some also blamed Great White, Kendall debated his future. At 0037, incoming rescues were canceled; all living victims had been transported. After exiting the building, Kendall called his wife and told her the gig would be delayed until the fire was extinguished. Remembering The Station nightclub fire, 20 years later 02:58 WEST WARWICK, R.I. - Paula Marchetti pulled up to The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island 20 years ago on February 20th to . A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in five and a half minutes, as 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Many of the survivors developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of psychological trauma. Key Findings. Eagan moved to Nevada six weeks ago. Chief 1 required all firefighters debriefed by a CISM team member prior to being released from duty. The pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Seconds later, the fire department arrived and began to flow water in the area of the front door. My wife and I were not crazy maniacs or anything, but were believers. Steven Ayer, of West Warwick, R.I., displays photographs of his daughter Tina, 33, near the site of "The Station" nightclub, Feb. 21, 2003. You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content. NIST Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire. Gov. But the banner outside the Station listed Great White as the nights headliner. 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. Refining the codes is a continuing process that combines the technical advances of today with present-day societal attitudes. The, third, and perhaps most important part, is, The Station nightclub fire adds to the long list of, tragic nightclub fires. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. The second part, of the solution is getting the codes adopted. to confirm your email address. The pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Three listed thermal burns and inhalation as the primary cause, three listed inhalation and compression injuries and two listed compression injuries only. That was my therapy.. The NIST recommendations Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire, Volume 1 and Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire: Appendices included restricting the use of flammable foam plastic materials, prohibiting pyrotechnic displays in enclosed nightclubs without sprinkler systems, strengthening the enforcement power of local fire marshals, and strengthening sprinkler requirements. NEVER FORGET THE VICTIMS OR THE LESSONS LEARNED THAT TRAGIC NIGHT. More than 460 fans had crowded into the wooden, single-story, 4,480 -square-foot nightclub known as The Station in West Warwick, R.I., to enjoy a Thursday night show on Feb. 20, 2003. James Gahan is photographed, May 13, 2006, at his home in Falmouth, Mass., with a portrait of his son, Jimmy, who died in the Station Nightclub fire in 2003 in West Warwick, R.I. Gahan was one of those who made a statement in court this week when Dan Biechele was sentenced. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. On Wednesday I will share a few photos from the venue. Claire Hoogasian displays outside Kent County Superior Court in Warwick, R.I., Sept. 29, 2006, a T-shirt and necklace honoring her son Michael and daughter-in-law Sandy Hoogasian, both who died in the 2003 fire at The Station nightclub. "I come down every year and play the (bagpipes)," he said. Firefighters remove their headgear and bow in prayer as a Chaplain blesses a deceased person in a body bag on a stretcher. It is in equal parts fascinating, horrifying, heart-wrenching and inspiring. The DHS report Annex A Fire Department Operations acknowledged maintaining accountability on scene and determining what local resources were still available was challenging. INTERCITY radio traffic confirmed Metro Control requesting fill-in companies from Coventry and East Greenwich; departments designated by the mutual aid box system to move up on the third and fourth alarms. Additional resources were also requested from the scene by out-of-town chiefs via their respective proprietary frequencies and cellular phones. Michael Derderian received a 15-year prison sentence, with four to serve and 11 years suspended, plus three years probation. "The message is, 'Don't forget.' Off-duty dispatchers and the FA supervisor augmented the dispatcher on duty. 2023 Getty Images. Jody King:. Backstage, Kendall drinks a Diet Pepsi and smokes an e-cigarette as he sits on a couch, his eyes hidden behind shades. THE FIRE 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. Due to the large number of deceased, teams made multiple recoveries. At 2336, FA was advised live wires were down on side B. After communicating online with other survivors, she co-founded the Station Family Fund three months after the fire to help victims and survivors. Id just met them.. SERA: THE FOUNDATION RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE PARK IS PLANNING TO HOLD A SPECIAL CEREMONY MARKING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY. Snubbing the King: Why Don't Big Stars Want to Perform at Charles' Coronation? Designed to release a controlled fountain of sparks, the pyrotechnic canisters (or gerbs) instead accidentally ignited highly flammable acoustic polyurethane foam soundproofing material in the walls and ceilings surrounding the fore-platform of the stage. Some patrons were trampled, while others ran with their heads ablaze. The non-profit recently acquired the land, which is currently filled with 100 crosses made from burned Station wood. 4. Raymond Mattera, father of Tammy Mattera-Housa, who died in The Station nightclub fire, holding a newspaper photo of the fire, pleads with the fire commission to change the fire laws Thursday, May 22, 2003. This article is prepared from police reports, evidentiary material released by the Rhode Island State Attorney General (RISAG), communications with several mutual aid responders, Rhode Island Department of Health library reference material, published media articles (especially investigative reporting by the Providence Journal) and two major technical reports The Station Club Fire After-Action Report, October 2004, by the Office of Domestic Preparedness of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the June 2005 Final Report of the National Construction Safety Team Investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Department of Commerce. Inside, an Engine 2 member with a Warwick EMS officer coordinated triaging victims separating and tagging them "green" and "yellow" for treatment. Derderian was arraigned on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick on Feb. 20, 2003, that killed 100 people. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. 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. Its that moment of love and acceptance and forgiveness it just enveloped all of us. The fire raced across the ceiling and over the dance floor toward the front doors. Jason Hahn. A few feet away sits Eagan, who still attends Great White shows though shell never be far from the exits again. A lock ( I dont begrudge anyone that has anger or resentment, she says, noting that each survivor has dealt with the fire in different ways. Three minutes later, Great White abandoned its set and lead singer Jack Russell warned the crowd, This aint good. The band dashed off stage just as the clubs fire alarm started blasting. Hospitals reported 273 patients treated, most with inhalation burns and smoke; 40%-plus with third-degree burns of face, upper extremities and upper body. Eventually, they kept one former XYZ front man Terry Ilous. Fire survivor Jesse Botelho, 30, of Pawtucket, R.I. speaks to reporters near the remains of The Station nightclub. All Rights reserved. When he did, Lardie saw footage of the blaze and heard that a guitarist from the band was missing. Recently one of them, Linda Fisher, joined the band onstage during the Monsters of Rock Cruise. There were thousands of people in this giant building with multiple different rooms and no rhyme or reason to the egress paths. Only one deceased, with compression injuries only, did not suffer inhalation or burns. Radio transmissions show West Warwick's Special Hazards, Rescue 2, Reserve Rescue 3, and Reserve Engines 5 and 7 responded. The fire chief was the only West Warwick firefighter allowed to be interviewed for the NIST and DHS reports. During a sound check before the show, the band are energetic and enthused as they run through songs from their latest album, Elation, sounding much like the young Sunset Strip rockers they were when they began more than 30 years ago. By the time it was extinguished, the Station Nightclub Fire had earned an unwanted place as one of the deadliest fires in U.S. history the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in the U.S. and the second-deadliest in New England surpassed by the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire that resulted in 492 deaths. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in American history. Keep me up to date! Due to the inaccessibility of records, no attempt will be made to list each responding apparatus. The fire spread quickly along the ceiling area over the dance floor. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of those who lost their lives in the fire at The Station nightclub Feb. 20, 2003. A Warwick Police report logged its first officer arriving at 2314 and being approached by severely burned survivors. . The emotional impact on the responding. Russell, seeing the flame behind him, said, Wow thats not good, and initially tried to douse the fire with cups of water. The reduction of the sprinkler threshold for Group A-2 occupancies from 300 occupants to 100 occupants reflects a compromise that was reached among several competing proposals during the 20032004 code development cycle. It recommended specific improvements to building standards, codes and practices to improve the structural fire safety of buildings and evacuation procedures. To complete your registration, please verify your email address. The configuration of the clubs egress doors contributed to the number of fatalities: The design of the front entrance corridor contributed to the loss of life, forcing concert-goers to push through an intermediate door that opened into a small foyer before finally reaching the main doors that led outside. Answers to your door, hardware, and code questions from Allegion's Lori Greene. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. At 2337, command radioed triage that people were still being pulled out from side A. Reportedly, the tour manager had failed to secure a pyrotechnics permit. In the crush, many could not get out. The crew observed fire already through the roof and also was confronted by injured victims seeking medical assistance. A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. >> THE MESSAGE IS DONT FORGET, NEVER FORGET THESE PEOPLE, NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED. Meanwhile, two of the four exits had been chained shut, and a bouncer initially forbade patrons from using the stage door, creating a bottleneck at the front door. An October 2003 Health Care Industry publication noted that 17% of 196 burn victims were admitted into intensive care on ventilatory support. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Twelve minutes into the incident, at 2325, triage was consolidated when Engine 1 radioed command confirming triage was inside the CIR. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Victoria Eagan, who had walked to the Station from her home a block away, had been a couple of rows from the stage when the fire began. One hundred people lost their lives in the fire. Documentary - Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List, Where is Panic Hardware Required by Code? They also perform other fan favorites, including Rock Me and Lady Red Light, along with several well-received new tunes, before concluding with Once Bitten, Twice Shy. During the show, the roughly 700 fans more with receding hair than Eighties big hair dont seem to mind Russells absence as Kendall wows them with blues-based guitar solos. We will email you a link to reset your password. He directed FA to have Engine 3 lay-in, have Engine 1 come straight in, start calling back off-duty members and specifically requested 12 additional rescues. Mitt Romney, right, shakes hands with mourners following remembrance services at the Rhodes On The Pawtucket hall, in Cranston, R.I., Thursday, Feb. 19, 2004. . 462 people were in attendance, even though the club's official licensed capacity was 404. For many Eighties acts, the fog machine is a time-honored stage prop. Eagan admits she isnt a very spiritual person, but after she walked out of the Station catastrophe, that Bible verse became a mantra. Kendall, who fought addictions before the fire, could have easily fallen off the wagon afterward. On her right forearm is a tattoo that reads, To whom that much has been given, much will be required.. >> ITS ALL I CAN DO NOW, JUST COME TO THE PLACE WHERE HE LAST WAS. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. Both NIST and DHS reports noted out-of-town chiefs and EMS supervisory personnel assisted the incident commander at the command post, acting as a resource group, serving as inter-agency liaisons and supporting functions such as communications, triage, supplies, staging, rehabilitation and public information. It was basically just me and him and his solo band, Kendall says backstage at the Chumash. Horrific tragedies such as the Station Nightclub Fire prove what can go terribly wrong when exits are not abundant and easily accessible, when exit doors swing inward, or when automatic fire sprinklers arent present. The other aspect of this decision was a belief by many that smaller assembly occupancies have a reduced life-safety risk because they can be readily evacuated. This is a huge fire hazard when a bunch of people are attempting to stampede out of a building because there is no way . Throughout histo, ry, major fires resulting in large losses of life, have occurred that have not only stirred the, public conscience, but also moved the fire pro, tection community to continue to refine our, Refining the codes and standards is only part of, the solution. Even though the consequences of The Station fire were largely attributed to multiple code violations that were present on the night of the fire, particularly improper interior finish materials and the use of indoor pyrotechnics without proper precautions, the International Codes responded by changing the threshold for mandatory sprinklers in Group A-2 occupancies from 300 occupants to 100 occupants. The medical examiner testified 20 deceased had significant levels of cyanide, indicative of inhaling an atmosphere containing hydrogen cyanide, a product of burning polyurethane. Regulations regarding pyrotechnic displays were also tightened and strictly enforced. The first 300 seconds (5 minutes) of the fire was the goal for the fire simulation. The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick in 2003 was the fourth-worst such fire in the nation's history. Shes still not sure why some of the 420 fans made it and some didnt. "I come down every year and play the (bagpipes)," he said. The horrific fire claimed the lives of 100 people while another 230 were injured. Within two minutes of Chief 1's arrival, Engine 1 and Ladder 1 reported the front entryway clogged with about 20 victims. I think we just tried to get a little closer to God than before.. If it comes across like were a little hungry, thats the way we would like it, Lardie says. In a video taken that night, shouts of elation turn to horror movie screams just 90 seconds after the band launched its set. A survivor claimed that she and her fianc had tried to escape through one exit, but were stopped by a bouncer stating that that door was "for the band only.". creating a bottleneck at the front door. These tragic fires and the accom, panying loss of life often result from the same, contributing factors which include highly com, bustible interior finish, combustible contents, including decorative features, lack of properly, designed and adequate egress systems, and, overcrowding of occupants. He asked that the court have mercy on Biechele. Derderian was arraigned on 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick on Feb. 20, 2003, that killed 100 people. Jeffrey Derderian received a 10-year suspended sentence, three years probation, and 500 hours of community service.Great White tour manager Daniel Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of those who lost their lives in the fire. Today, it's been 16 years since The Station nightclub fire during a performance by Great White. A band that was on the platform that night, during its performance, used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the platform. While she has become friends with the band, Eagan said roughly half the survivors are angry at Great White. Throughout history, major fires resulting in large losses of life have occurred that have not only stirred the public conscience, but also moved the fire protection community to continue to refine our codes. But for Great White, that faux smoke serves as an unintentional reminder of a colossal tragedy synonymous with its name a 2003 club fire that killed 100 people and injured 230. Two of the five friends she arrived with suffered serious burns. The band had actually split in 2001. This fellowshipping, the strength it has in the healing is amazing. A few weeks after The Station nightclub fire, The Journal observed that the state fire marshal's office had been "slowly starved by budget cuts." In 1991, it had 10 fire inspectors; by 2003 . His cousin, Shawn Sweet, died in the disaster. Here are photos of the . Multiple fireground and INTERCITY radio transmissions requesting all available rescues and all available manpower may have resulted in assets self-deploying. 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