But he didn't know what. 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. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station . 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 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. Now, he carries the fallout of that suggestion with him everywhere. The attack killed 11 and injured 9. [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? On the day he died, Matt kissed his wifes stomach and said: God, I wish shed come today. Now, ten years later the family reflects on the many challenges and losses life has thrown at them. I have to find him. Brothers and . This is solid gasoline. That's how thick the smoke was. They were told to take it down. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. And I fell down the stairs, out that door. 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 fire was sparked by a welding accident on the basement, with most floors of the Dongdu building being dedicated to blue-collar activities, and the nightclub itself being located only on the fourth floor. The 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. One of the worst mass shootings in US history claimed 49 lives at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. The white padding is soaked red. Phil Barr: I went around the people trying to push to the front door. Station Fire Memorial Foundation rejects donation from Great White singer: Out of the ashes of the Station fire, tougher building codes arose. Please enter valid email address to continue. Flames can be seen on the back wall. Twenty years have passed since the fire at the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island where 100 people died in and . Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. She would not hurt a fly., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, The deadliest mass shootings in US history, Suspected Pulse nightclub memorial vandal arrested, Vandal in wheelchair sets fire to Pulse nightclub memorial, What timing! Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. Fire officials say staircase to second floor was made out of wooden pallets. Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. Linda Saran: They have said they were sorry. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Top Dems push Fox News to stop promoting "propaganda" about 2020 election, The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. 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. Michael Derderian: They got this fax and it went on to describe the business practices of the foam company. Some bouncers are ill-equipped to handle crowds in a lawful manner. First published on October 23, 2021 / 11:18 PM. One victim died from stabbing during clashes. The shooting occurred on . Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. The morning after the fire, the lead singer of Great White, Jack Russell, claimed the brothers had given the band permission to set off the fireworks. And that's when the crowd realizes this is a real danger and we have to get out of here. Jeff Derderian: Why is it OK that the fire marshal is allowed to miss something or make a mistake and what he did was just an oops, but what we did was criminal? 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! Former Pulsations Nightclub Parking Lot - 240 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. But I made a choice. He says he managed to escape through the front door before a stampede of people got stuck in the narrow hallway and blocked the exit. Six months after the fire the state had already started passing updated fire safety regulations in the fall out of the fire, Governor Carcieri signed into law the Comprehensive Fire Safety Act of 2003, a major rewrite of the states fire-safety code. I couldn't hear noise. We're running out of time." Sadly, Pulsar the robot has not yet been utilized on the show. The night of the fire Jeff Derderian gave a statement to the local police and another one to an investigator with the Attorney General's Office. Phil Barr: We kind of crouched down behind some of the people in front of us. Phil Barr: and I felt the door and I just heaved my shoulder into it. They promoted the event. Search Bands Concerts Venues Locations Bucket Lists Users "24 Reported Dead, 70 Injured In Fire in South Korean Disco", "China holds 31 responsible for disco blaze", "54 Die in Fire at Youth Hangout in South Korea", "Fire Kills 54, Injures 75 at Illegal Bar in S. Korea", "Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America", "Ballroom blaze that killed firefighter arson", " "911": - ? 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. The father of Jessica and Sarah as well as Melindas husband, Matt, died in The Station fire. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. It took less than 5 minutes for fire to engulf The Station nightclub, packed with . Station owners silent as fire's 10th anniversary nears: The Derderian brothers, who purchased the West Warwick, R.I., nightclub in 2000 with hopes of making it a thriving business, still draw anger, and resentment from victims, and their families. Michael Derderian: No. It was really everything to me at that time. It fuels you. Out of it. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? Lee . Taffer also discussed his time at Pulsations last week, telling the New York Times about the "religious experience" that was Pulsar, as well as the club's "Thanks for the Mammaries" promotion: Before you were on TV, you were a bar owner in Philadelphia. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: We never do anything without asking permission first. The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. Am I going to sit here and cry about this? 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. And outside I went. It was liquid fire," says former Attorney General Patrick Lynch, who investigated the disaster. Great White's tour manager Daniel Biechele also faced the same charges. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. Linda will forever wear the scars of that horrible night. RealYakub 4 days ago. 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. It has since been recorded as the worst mass . None of the images depict the people . The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment . 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. The Station nightclub fire, fire on February 20, 2003, that destroyed The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S., and killed 100 people. Afterward, her uncle Al Salman defended her, saying she had no idea what that crazy was doing., Shes innocent (and a) simple person, he insisted. 20th Anniversary Remembrance of Station Night Club Fire. Firefighter and RI state Rep. talks trauma. Its name was Pulsar and it was skinned to be an alien. Michael Derderian: Zero. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. The Derderians have always maintained that they never gave the band permission to use pyrotechnics. Lying on the floor not far from the horseshoe bar, Barr lost consciousness. Jan. 23, 2022. Worst fire disaster in Berlin since World War II; death toll reported between 80-88, but considered to be 81. Phil Barr: It was getting harder and harder to breathe I could feel tightness and constriction in my chest. I had no control over my muscles. This is the main bar where you can get your drinks. The most famous clubs in this era, 1980s-2000s, included Club Fac 51 Haidenda in Manchester, England (in a former warehouse that was redesigned by . 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. Great White was part of the lawsuit. It had a spaceship that flew into the room and deposited a robot on the dance floor. She and Matt knew they were expecting a girl and they had already chosen her name. So, I actually got a really good sense of the layout of the venue.". The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. They want to talk to you." Town fire inspector Denis P. Larocque, for not noticing the foam during an inspection a few months before the fire. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice. That specific. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " 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. "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. Taffer recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss bars and his history with them. Survivor Phil Barr arrived to The Station early the night of the concert. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. I went over, put my hands against the glass, and I started kicking at that window and it wouldn't break. WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WLNE) Monday marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. these contracts are pretty specific. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. Michael Derderian: We do understand that anger and that's that's why we're here with you. And I knew the window was to my left. When just brushing against it an overheard reference, a roadside glimpse can rekindle the searing pain? Jeff Derderian: I don't know. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. And I'm like, "OK.". Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. 10. It was THE spot in the Delaware Valley in the '80s, and tonight "The Goldbergs" recreate the legendary nightclub for Barry's bachelor party. The two handguns used in the January 21 2023 Monterey Park shooting and a rifle seized from the home of the suspect, 72 y/o Huu Can Tran. Today Phil Barr is married and a father of two little girls. It was the greatest nightclub ever built, and it was quite an experience to see this robot come out. Richard Feloni. You know people didn't react instantly. She and her fianc, Alfred "Freddy" Crisostomi, had gone out on Feb. 20, 2003, to hear music at the . Station fire: He lost his brother but didnt blame the Derderians: The Derderian brothers became pariahs after the fire, ostracized and blamed for the tragedy. Linda Saran: I said, "you know what? . The pyrotechnics ignited the walls on either side of the stage and within seconds flames spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling of the club intended to dampen sound. Tracy King worked at The Station as a bouncer. One near the bar. You should be proud." Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. So, it was not a great decision to use these inside a nightclub that only has 12-foot ceilings. The warm-up acts went down well, and, by the time Great White took the stage, shortly after . Jeff Derderian: That door was opened immediately and that's where the band went out. When it was announced that the 1980s rock act Great White would be headlining an evening of retro rock music at The Station, fans turned out in force. A surgery to correct a childhood ailment with his ears left him able to balance objects on his chin. 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: They are what they call 15x15. And that's when it starts to hit you all that you've lost. They were friends. But she refuses to live in the past. Fused by pain, Station fire survivors, loved ones mark 18th anniversary: Theyre all here. I don't even like to talk about it. Apr 21, 2015, 2:39 PM. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. "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. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. There's an exit near the stage. Another 230 people were injured in what ranks as the nations fourth-deadliest nightclub fire. I'm going to do this. Monday marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 21:26. She asks does anyone remember Pulsations Nightclub? Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. I was asked to work the merch table for the band, so I was getting 40 bucks and two T-shirts. Today. 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. 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 was one of the deadliest nightclub fires in the nation's history, and an event that has had lasting consequences for hundreds of families. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Investigators eventually discovered the fax was sent by Barry Warner, a former employee at American Foam the company that had sent the Derderians the packing foam made of flammable polyurethane. 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More on the fire:The Station fire: 100 victims in photos. it was happening so fast, fast, fast, fast. It was the closest to a religious experience that I've seen without it being religious. 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. It was a really remarkable thing. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. Pulsar would come out of a spaceship and dance with the crowd every night. 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. The Station was just an accident waiting to happen, an overcrowded firetrap--stuffing people in there, no sprinklers, no exits with rapid egress, flammable foam on the walls, allowing pyrotechnics inside the venue (violating state law). 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