A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. At 0037, incoming rescues were canceled; all living victims had been transported. February 20 - The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island killed 100 and injured 230. January 2-3 - Chteau de Lunville gutted by fire. A partial collapse of the side A wall at the sunroom windows at 0015 hours initiated a second accountability roll call. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick started when pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White set fire to flammable foam installed as soundproofing. While he has managed to stay sober, he says, Russell has not. The medical examiner's 2003 grand jury testimony, released in 2007, revealed autopsy results for 98 victims. Terrifying footage revealed exactly how events unfolded during the fire. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Sign up to receive the latest daily The Providence Journal identified by name 247 people who self-evacuated 90 via the side-A front doors, 46 via the side-B bar door, 12 via the side-B kitchen door and 20 through the side-D stage door. In the crush, many could not get out.The exit near the bar had been locked with chains in order to prevent people from sneaking into the club without paying.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. If you need help, contact our WebSupport via LiveChat. In the crush, many could not get out. The Station nightclub fire footage. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. The fire, which broke out on February 20. After a great deal of scrutiny, sweeping changes came to fire and building codes governing public assembly occupancies. I didnt even know these people. This book is actually an autobiography of one of the victims of Rhode Island's Station Nightclub fire. News Sport Region Music Person Profession Crypto. On Wednesday I will share a few photos from the venue. Through his management, Russell declined to comment for this story. The Mandalorian Season Three Gets Off to a Disappointing Start 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. or weekly posts from iDigHardware. 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. Never forget these people or forget what happened.". WILLIAM F. ADAMS is a past chief of the East Rochester, NY, Fire Department and a former fire apparatus sales representative. In the panic to get out, many fell and were trampled. Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices, Created June 3, 2011, Updated April 5, 2022, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), About the Disaster & Failure Studies Program, Champlain Towers South Collapse NCST Investigation, World Trade Center Investigation Materials. That was my healing, she says. Chaos then erupted when intense black smoke engulfed the club within minutes, limiting visibility. A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. When I walked out the door, it just seemed like such an easy thing to do, Kendall says. Among the mourners who gathered Monday at Station Fire Memorial Park, which honors all of those lost in the disaster, was Stephen Sweet, a firefighter in Quincy, Massachusetts. The pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage.A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in five and a half minutes, as 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured.The flames were at first thought to be part of the act. An official website of the United States government. When Russell began canceling dates due to health problems and addictions, Kendall says, the band called on temporary replacements. Also, off-duty members monitoring personal scanners began returning. WFD Engine 5 and Rescue 4 were ordered into the CIR to assist with EMS; Rescue 4 reported 50 to 60 injured inside. A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in 5 minutes. In the panic to get out, many fell and were trampled. It is not recorded which companies filled this assignment. The third, and perhaps most important part, is enforcing these codes. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. Kulas Road is about 33 ft east of the side bar exit. The previous grandfather clause (ceiling fire sprinklers were not required for buildings built before 1976) was lifted and all public facilities over a certain capacity were forced to install automatic sprinkler systems. We have sent an email to the address you provided. Are we going to be able to rise above this? The first 300 seconds (5 minutes) of the fire was the goal for the fire simulation. It claimed 100 lives and left some 230 other people injured. The blaze reached flashover within one minute, causing all combustible materials to burn. People stampeded into the area through entrances from the bar and club. He asked that the court have mercy on Biechele. In the confusion, others fled blindly, finding themselves trapped in places like bathrooms with no means of escape. 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. Initial reports said it was Kendall. Please click the link in the email Published on August 10, 2017 09:05 AM. Jody King:. Two people died in an early morning fire Friday that heavily damaged a home in Cranston's Garden City neighborhood. I didnt know if they were going to go on after the fire, he says. Judge: Three ME Teens 'Not Competent' to Stand Trial in Fatal Fire, International Association of Arson Investigators, The International Association of Arson Investigators Expands Online and App Program, MI Man Who Offered to Help Charged with Impersonating Firefighter, Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News (TNS), FDNY Commissioner Sounds Alarm on Lithium-ion Batteries, Part one was published in the November 2010 issue, International Association of Arson Investigators - IAAI. A Warwick Police report logged its first officer arriving at 2314 and being approached by severely burned survivors. 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. There were thousands of people in this giant building with multiple different rooms and no rhyme or reason to the egress paths. Two of the five friends she arrived with suffered serious burns. After communicating online with other survivors, she co-founded the Station Family Fund three months after the fire to help victims and survivors. The band began a benefit tour for victims and survivors that summer, and they would continue to perform benefits for the next two years. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., was a single-story wood frame building with a footprint of about 412 square meters (4,484 square feet). The Great White Nightclub Fire: Ten Years Later, Robert Cray on His New Album and Appearing in Animal House, Foo Fighters Rehearsing for New Album, Says Guitarist, The Most Awesomely Eighties 1980s Music Videos, Jason Derulo Pens First Book 'Sing Your Name Out Loud', Wizkid More Love, Less Ego Tour Postponed to Fall 2023, A Year After Brain Injury, Amy Grant Sets First Solo Musical Return in a Decade, Blink-182 Postpone First-Ever Latin America Tour Dates Following Travis Barker Finger Injury, Raye Relives Her Sexual Assault in Harrowing 'Ice Cream Man' Video, How to Watch 'The Mandalorian' Online: Stream Season 3 Now, Alex MurdaughCalled 'Family Annihilator' by Prosecution in Murder Trial. Here are photos of the . This author could not access the 2003 plan components nor verify its effectiveness. 4. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. But despite the horrors that fire produced, shes glad she was at the Station that night. Commercial companies and independent ambulance corps provided another 15 to 20 ambulances. The crew observed fire already through the roof and also was confronted by injured victims seeking medical assistance. February 20, 2003. This week marks 20 years since the horrific Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, which killed 100 people and left 230 injured. 100 people perished. At 2313 hours, Ladder 1 staging on Kulas Avenue requested the fire alarm (FA) office to expedite rescues for serious burn victims (on side B). The pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. That list, the reports, and telephone and radio recordings indicate at least 22 engines, eight ladders, three special hazards, two squads and 57 rescues were involved. Todays fire safety codes and standards reflect painful lessons learned, one being that fire safety inspections and code enforcement must be prioritized. Turn on push notifications and don't miss anything! 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. Steven Ayer, of West Warwick, R.I., displays photographs of his daughter Tina, 33, near the site of "The Station" nightclub, Feb. 21, 2003. There is also a documentary on YouTube with survivors relating their experience. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News. Current and former officials from several fire departments, including West Warwick's, declined to comment for this article. On her right forearm is a tattoo that reads, To whom that much has been given, much will be required.. From the NIST report: A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. As the fire reached the ceiling and smoke began to billow, people began to realize the nightclub was on fire.There were 462 people in attendance, even though the club's official licensed capacity was 404. The music was primarily house and techno with international Dj's spinning nearly every evening. A 2315 radio transmission from Engine 4 confirmed occupants inside the building. Explore all the benefits that ICC Membership has to offer and become a member today to gain access to this exciting content. 159 125 125 comments Best Add a Comment TheRealMSteve 8 yr. ago Monday marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people. For many Eighties acts, the fog machine is a time-honored stage prop. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published a 2-volume report on the fire, which is available on their website. Many will not discuss the incident; some still receive medical care. Only one deceased, with compression injuries only, did not suffer inhalation or burns. The fire spread quickly along the ceiling area over the dance floor. Via the INTERCITY, West Warwick requested three rescues from Cranston FA, which dispatched Rescues 2, 3 and 4 at 2321. Radio transmissions show West Warwick's Special Hazards, Rescue 2, Reserve Rescue 3, and Reserve Engines 5 and 7 responded. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) launched an investigation into the nightclub fire. Three other exits were open and marked with lit signs in other parts of the club, but most people never realized they were there. 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. The scene firefighters faced is addressed. After locating, tagging, photographing and removing a body, teams attended debriefing sessions. The flames were at first thought to be part of the act; only as the fire reached the ceiling and smoke began to billow did people realize the nightclub was on fire. Those compiling reports during civil and criminal litigation had limited access to evidence and interviews. 17 years after Rhode Island's deadly nightclub fire. The fact that people got stuck in the door trying to escape makes it so much worse. Chief 1 required all firefighters debriefed by a CISM team member prior to being released from duty. Hundreds of people filled the parking lot and streets; half were injured, many seriously. Nothing was getting me consistent with feeing better. Firefighters responding to a fire in this house on Whitewood Drive in Cranston around 2:30 A.M. found two people dead inside February 24, 2023. 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 . Twenty-eight were dispersed in the B/C areas, which lacked exterior doors and windows. If the fire wasnt enough to overcome, Great White is now forging ahead with a new singer, with the previous one now fronting an offshoot, Great White featuring Jack Russell. Backstage, Kendall drinks a Diet Pepsi and smokes an e-cigarette as he sits on a couch, his eyes hidden behind shades. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Claire Hoogasian attended court proceedings for Michael and Jeffrey Derderian. The simulation predicts evacuation through. Falling patrons jammed the main exit, trapping the people behind them inside. Cranston Engine 4 and Ladder 2 responded as fill-in companies. Built in 1946, The Station had significantly aged and had undergone several remodels and renovations as it changed ownership. A few feet away sits Eagan, who still attends Great White shows though shell never be far from the exits again. An in-depth look at the initial fire and EMS response and recovery operations for the Station Night Club fire in West Warwick, RI. There were people right next to the door that didnt get out, she tells Rolling Stone. 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 . The cramped foyer was reportedly designed to prevent people from entering the club without a ticket, but it proved disastrous when the large, panicked crowd clogged it in a desperate attempt to escape the blaze. It was just an emotional rollercoaster.. Although there were four possible exits, most headed for the front door through which they had entered. Scanning side A at 11:13:12 P.M., the WPRI video recorded flames visible outside atrium windows reflected in the tour bus windows. As operations slowed, a sweep ordered of the fireground and surrounding areas found additional injured victims. 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. Gov. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. On Cowesett Road, WFD Tower Ladder 1 was approached by many injured and the officer led them to triage. The fire conditions are predicted using SMARTFIRE V4.1. The main entrance on the north side, with double doors, led to a . The nightclub was known for heavy metal music, and that evening the headliner was metal band Great White. A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. 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