Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options await you. She also co-founded the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which aims to raise funds for a memorial park at the fire site. Great White hasnt written any songs related to the fire, but Kendall said the fire has changed him as well. His cousin, Shawn Sweet, died in the disaster. Todays fire safety codes and standards reflect painful lessons learned, one being that fire safety inspections and code enforcement must be prioritized. Please change your password. Id just met them.. . Warwick supplied the rapid intervention team. We want to hear it. 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. It supplied a feeder liner to Engine 4 and operated its deck gun on the front entrance. SHE LEADS THE FOUNDATION THAT HELPED ESTABLISH THE MEMORIAL. One hundred people lost their lives in the fire. The band began a benefit tour for victims and survivors that summer, and they would continue to perform benefits for the next two years. (video), Walk the layout of the building when you first arrive, Look for two ways out of each room and identify marked fire exits, Look for fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems. I think we just tried to get a little closer to God than before.. The nightclub was known for heavy metal music, and that evening the headliner was metal band Great White. Current and former officials from several fire departments, including West Warwick's, declined to comment for this article. 90 minutes later, after being . 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. In both cases, the suspect or suspects utilized a . A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. The Idol: How HBOs Next Euphoria Became Twisted Torture Porn An officer with three firefighters (or firefighters from surrounding departments who volunteered) worked in teams with the medical examiner, state fire marshal and law enforcement. The stampede to get out led to a crush in the narrow hallway leading to the front exit, quickly blocking the exit completely. Two minutes after the Desert Moon kickoff, the camera catches a haunting visual patrons stuck in a doorway, piled like wood, as black smoke billows over their heads. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. How they mitigated it is a learning experience for the fire service. Hospitals reported 273 patients treated, most with inhalation burns and smoke; 40%-plus with third-degree burns of face, upper extremities and upper body. The fire, which broke out on Feb. 20, 2003, was caused by pyrotechnics set off by the tour manager of the band Great White. February 20, 2003. It was just an emotional rollercoaster.. Last week I visited an art and music space housed in an old cooking oil factory in Havana, Cuba. NFPA also published a case study on nightclub fires, and the report includes information about the impact of this fire and other nightclub tragedies on the model codes: On February 20, 2003, a fire in a small club in Rhode Island once again reminded us that history can and will repeat itself. This is a huge fire hazard when a bunch of people are attempting to stampede out of a building because there is no way . 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. Documentary - Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List, Where is Panic Hardware Required by Code? Kulas Road is about 33 ft east of the side bar exit. Backstage, Kendall drinks a Diet Pepsi and smokes an e-cigarette as he sits on a couch, his eyes hidden behind shades. Chiefs from several departments made CISM participation mandatory. Each specified the main cause of death listing any significant factors the medical examiner felt were contributory, noting the victim possibly could have expired without suffering the contributing factor. Coming out of the fire and not having any lasting physical injuries other than some lung damage you spend a lot of time figuring out, Why not me? SERA: THE FOUNDATION RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE PARK IS PLANNING TO HOLD A SPECIAL CEREMONY MARKING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY. Fire officials quickly concluded that a sprinkler system would have most likely spared many lives the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. Its that moment of love and acceptance and forgiveness it just enveloped all of us. Jeffrey and Micahel Derderian changed their pleas from "not guilty" to "no contest," thereby avoiding a trial. Additional resources were also requested from the scene by out-of-town chiefs via their respective proprietary frequencies and cellular phones. 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 . to establish the likely technical cause or causes of the building failure; to evaluate the technical aspects of evacuation and emergency response procedures; to recommend, as necessary, specific improvements to building standards, codes, and practices based on the findings; and. The Station Nightclub Fire: Revisiting the Lessons - Firefighter Training On February 20, 2003, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in United States history. February 18 - Daegu subway fire in South Korea, killed 192 by arson. Chaos then erupted when intense black smoke engulfed the club within minutes, limiting visibility. That is that bands legacy, says Victoria Potvin Eagan, a fan who escaped the inferno. 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. Survivors' injuries mirrored those of the deceased. Many of the survivors developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of psychological trauma. I dont begrudge anyone that has anger or resentment, she says, noting that each survivor has dealt with the fire in different ways. Club Opera, Montreal's largest nightclub, with an elegant, sleek and very Euro-chic decor was certainly the most impressive venue the city nightlife had ever proposed. The DHS report stated the bulk of the fire was knocked down with the scene changing from a rescue to a recovery operation within 40 minutes. Three weeks later, the band had toured through the Midwest while Eagan was back in Nevada, where the former mortgage company account executive is now studying to become a burn nurse. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The emotional and psychological impact and resulting post-traumatic stress of responding to this incident cannot be measured. By 2330, three handlines and master streams from Engines 2 and 4 were in service on side A. The DHS report stated a cascading telephone call-back system was used. "I come down every year and play the (bagpipes)," he said. 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 . Keep me up to date! 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. VISITORS TO THE MEMORIAL ARE MARKING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRE WHICH CLAIMED 100 LIVES AND INJURED MORE THAN 200. The DHS report Annex A Fire Department Operations acknowledged maintaining accountability on scene and determining what local resources were still available was challenging. 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. Claire Hoogasian attended court proceedings for Michael and Jeffrey Derderian. The second part, of the solution is getting the codes adopted. Through his management, Russell declined to comment for this story. Related >> PAY ATTENTION TO THE FIRE EXITS, PAY ATTENTION TO SPRINKLERS. 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. But inside, a flashover spread rapidly along flammable foam used as insulation. The simulation predicts evacuation through. Even restaurants that did not serve alcoholic beverages were impacted, but to the surprise of many, the restaurant industry did not oppose the change. Delgado, a former contestant onThe Apprentice, will return to see the show three hours later. Four engines and one tower ladder operating three deck guns, one ladder pipe and numerous 1-inch handlines were used in suppression operations. Pastor Dave LaChance, right, consoles Jack Russell, lead singer of Great White near the scene of a deadly fire at The Station nightclub. >> THE MESSAGE IS DONT FORGET, NEVER FORGET THESE PEOPLE, NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED. A disaster., Minutes before opening act Slaughter begins its set, Great White drummer Audie Desbrow, who joined the band in 1986, is signing Delgados records backstage. Three listed thermal burns and inhalation as the primary cause, three listed inhalation and compression injuries and two listed compression injuries only. NEVER FORGET THE VICTIMS OR THE LESSONS LEARNED THAT TRAGIC NIGHT. Then a member of Night Ranger, bandmate Jack Blades tipped him off with a phone call. The medical examiner testified 20 deceased had significant levels of cyanide, indicative of inhaling an atmosphere containing hydrogen cyanide, a product of burning polyurethane. At 11:13:21, Engine 4 is filmed parked on side A. A fast-moving fire engulfed the club in five and a half minutes, as 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Close. Maggie Cardinale of Narragansett, R.I., pauses by a grouping of wooden crosses hanging on a fence enclosing the burnt wreckage of The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., representing those killed from the fire. TODD: -- SERA: GINA RUSSO IS ONE OF THE SURVIVORS BUT HER FIANCE DID NOT MAKE IT. 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. While he has managed to stay sober, he says, Russell has not. Share. Please enter your e-mail address below. Michael Derderian received a 15-year prison sentence, with four to serve and 11 years suspended, plus three years probation. As he stands just outside the showroom, a photographer with the casino offers to take the albums backstage, though he cant guarantee theyll be signed. When Russell began canceling dates due to health problems and addictions, Kendall says, the band called on temporary replacements. 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. 560K views 13 years ago buildingEXODUS V4.0 simulation of the Rhode Island nightclub fire. The thing is, its not just for them its for me. As resources arrived, an Engine 3 member with a Cranston EMS officer conducted primary triage outside the CIR tagging "red" critically injured for transport on the next-available rescue and moving less seriously injured people inside for further assessment. 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. Command requested a commercial bus to transport ambulatory injured at 2326. People stampeded into the area through entrances from the bar and club. . But before shipping out of West Warwick, she visited the site one last time. Fire department rescues assisted in transporting bodies. As the. 3 min read. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time The horrific fire claimed the lives of 100 people while another 230 were injured. Like Great White, no matter how far from West Warwick she gets, the nightmare will always follow her. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. At 2323, Rescue 1 notified FA that 10 victims were being transported, with five in critical condition; four rescues were on scene; at least 10 more were needed and they had 50 to 75 injured. 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. Via side-A windows, 25 exited the sunroom and 54 exited the barroom. Four listed thermal burns as the main cause. SERA: SWEETS COUSIN SHAUN WAS ONE OF THE LIVES LOST. 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. Mass. creating a bottleneck at the front door. Rhode Island Nightclub Fire The Station nightclub was a single-story wood frame building with a footprint about 4484 square ft. The pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings surrounding the stage. Via the INTERCITY, West Warwick requested three rescues from Cranston FA, which dispatched Rescues 2, 3 and 4 at 2321. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WCVB-TV. 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. Built in 1946, The Station had significantly aged and had undergone several remodels and renovations as it changed ownership. 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. The Rhode Island State Police (RISP) report confirmed that when Engine 4 arrived, multiple victims were trapped on top of one another in the front door. Built in 1946, the wooden Station nightclub was grandfathered into an exception for laws requiring ceiling fire sprinklers. 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. (Manager Obi Steinman was brought in after the fire to help rebuild the bands reputation.) WFD Engine 9 assisted moving scores of victims in the streets. 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