Jeff Derderian: We feel a sense of guilt about what happened in the sense that you carry the guilt of knowing that these people aren't here anymore, and these people are hurt for the rest of their life. 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. Prime Development Corner. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. 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). 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. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. But when Warner was called before the grand jury, he was not asked about the allegations he made in the fax. Initial reports say that a pyrotechnic flare was released by a Russian soldier whom had just returned from Ukraine. Barr, who was in his junior year, had dreams of a career on Wall Street and swam competitively for his college swim team. And then we've got the pressure from the judge saying you know, you're going to go to jail for 30 years apiece. It was the greatest nightclub ever built, and it was quite an experience to see this robot come out. It didn't have a lock on it. That's partially because of a $400,000 dancing robot named Pulsar, which would later appear in Rocky IV: Pulsations was the brainchild of a gentleman named Leon Altemose. In fact, they did the opposite.". As a result, the pyrotechnics ignited the sound-proofing polyurethane lining the walls and ceiling of the club. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? Linda Saran: Second- and-third-degree burns, over 34 percent of my body from the heat. It had a spaceship that flew into the room and deposited a robot on the dance floor. 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. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. What kind of club was this? Jan. 23, 2022. The Station fire changed how we view fire safety. But I made a choice. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. How tragedy inspired one member of Great White: After the fire, Mark Kendall, guitarist for Great White, drew close to some survivors, and relatives and friends of those who died and were injured. How did you meet him? One victim died from stabbing during clashes. 81. Now, he carries the fallout of that suggestion with him everywhere. That history necessarily includes his role in starting up Pulsations, which . Two decades after 100 people . Linda Saran: It's like a riptide. But does that mean it's not a crime? The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. Purchase and sale had been signed. Pulsations: It was the greatest nightclub in the world and I am honored to be a part of that history. 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. WEST WARWICK, R.I. . At the scene, Jody King was desperate for information about his brother, and began to fear the worst. 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. In fact, the nightclub arrest, like the Texas Hold 'Em, cow tipping, and Dean Martin, is an American invention, a product of the 18th Amendment. Another 230 people were injured in what ranks as the nations fourth-deadliest nightclub fire. The doors would open, dry ice fog would dump out, bright lights would come on sort of like that scene in Close Encounters, and this $400,000 robot would appear to levitate out of the ship onto the floor. Scott James: It was a typical kind of roadside dive. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. The fire was started by. 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. And 18 years after the fire, the brothers say they want to set the record straight and reveal new information. 5. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. It would fly over the crowd on an I-beam track and come down over the dance floor. Monday marks the 20th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people. Dieser Artikel wurde entwickelt, um den Bedrfnissen unserer Kunden entsprechend zu werden und bietet eine Vielzahl von neuen Funktionen. / CBS News. I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. Back in the early 1980s, Bar Rescue host Jon Taffer helped start the beloved Glen Mills hangout, Pulsations Nightclub a period that he today appears to recall fondly. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. undisputable. "Bar Rescue" host Jon Taffer watches a video feed of unimaginable horrors in a bar. Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. Michael Derderian: Correct. You take one square inch of the foam, you hold it up with a roach clip and light it on fire with a wooden match. That's how thick the smoke was. The Station was owned by brothers Jeff and Michael Derderian. Jeff Derderian: They didn't even bring up the fax to him. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". 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. 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. Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. Firefighter and RI state Rep. talks trauma. One of the worst mass shootings in US history claimed 49 lives at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. Michael owned a financial services business; Jeff was a local news reporter. The more than 400 photos posted on the city of Orlandos website were taken by police eight days after the June 12 attack that left 49 revelers at the gay nightbclub dead and 68 injured. One of them is never say die, never give up. JACK RUSSELL [news interview]: Rock and Roll is supposed to be fun, not deadly you know. Jim Axelrod: When you come to, you're in a hospital room. The 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. Fire officials say staircase to second floor was made out of wooden pallets. February 20, 2023. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. January 30, 2023 Chris McGoey. It got so popular that they had a clone built for Rocky IV. Michael Derderian: The field test is crystal clear. It was a really remarkable thing. In many communities, the crucial task of inspecting buildings in search of potentially life-threatening fire hazards falls to just one person. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. Those who were trapped inside The Station when the flames started knew they needed to get out fast. portsmouth nightclubs 1990's portsmouth nightclubs 1990's. (No Ratings Yet) Patrick Lynch: Looking back on it I would say they ran it as a side business, an attempt to maybe make some extra money with the callous, utter disregard for those that work there and assemble there. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. RI Hospital specialists, Station fire victims reflect after a decade since deadly blaze: What happened that evening and for the ensuing four weeks was unprecedented in our hospital, said Dr. David T. Harrington. Both the brothers had other jobs. They didn't even let him talk about it. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? For nearly four decades, Taffer has been at the forefront of the business management industry, offering his expertise to hundreds of thousands of properties and Fortune 500 companies, creating what industry experts called "the greatest nightclub in the world" -- Pulsations Nightclub, and changing the game of football for its fans forever with . Everyone has a Pulsations story! Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. Jeff Derderian: You know a day doesn't go by that we don't think about it in some way, shape or form. 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. In rural towns and villages, that individual may have another full-time job, or even be an unpaid volunteer. This is a list of notable nightclub fires at indoor and outdoor venues. He was the most badly burned survivor of the 2003 Station nightclub fire. But has prevention actually improved? 2.10.13: 'It went up like a match. We had a robot custom-built for us by International Robotronics in New York. People come here to reflect. Linda Saran: Yes. The Foam.". Omar Mateen opened fire and killed 49 people there on June 12, 2016. They threatened his family. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 21:26. He doesn't know. But that night, leading the cameraman around was bouncer Tracy King, a dedicated husband and father of three young boys. Published Feb 25, 2016. Jody King says his brother enjoyed working for the Derderians. The gunman, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, was a U.S. citizen born in Queens, New York, to Afghan . Biden draws focus from Harris' border visit with Pulse memorial event. We're running out of time." Phil Barr: I remember the smoke descended really quickly. How many people died in the station nightclub fire? They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. Michael spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. It's not just about hitting the next goal but doing something really meaningful. The Derderians learned about a piece of evidence they say is important that was never presented to the grand jury: an eight-page fax sent to the Attorney General's Office anonymously just months after the fire entitled "The Fire. While 94 of them have remained afloat, 84 have shut their doors. In an exclusive interview with "48 Hours" contributor Jim Axelrod, the Derderians said they wanted to set the record straight and reveal new information about that foam and accountability. A fire at a nightclub in Cameroon's capital, Yaound, in the early hours of Sunday left at least 16 people dead and eight others seriously injured, according to news agencies . Now he has a message for others struggling to come to terms with their disfiguring scars and fears of rejection: Take me as I am or keep walking., Son of Great White guitarist cheers sick children to honor his dad: His father would be proud; Beat goes on through son of Great White guitarist killed in fire. Pulsations, of course, had something of a wild run, beginning with the accidental death of a Media woman due to a falling light fixture on opening night in 1983. Patrick Lynch: The type of foam was equal to gallons of gasoline. That history necessarily includes his role in starting up Pulsations, which Rolling Stone describes as "the monster dance club that brought Studio 54 vibes to West Philadelphia.". About 180 patrons remained inside the nightclub at that time. She and Matt knew they were expecting a girl and they had already chosen her name. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station . In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Some bars close for failing to control violent crime on the premises. The 1980s rock Great White and its lead singer Jack Russell (playing as Jack Russell's Great White) for putting together the show as part of a tour of roadhouses seeking to rekindle past glory. I couldn't hear noise. That was his gift. It was already in contract. Two years after the fire at The Station nightclub, the Derderians learned about a piece of evidence they say is important that was never presented to the grand jury: an eight-page fax sent to the Attorney General's Office anonymously just months after the fire entitled "The Fire. Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. Absolutely not. Catch the episode Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on 6abc! Germany. 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. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. I can't speak Everything was, you know, sore and hoarse I picked up the pen in very weak, you know, kind of handwriting I wrote, "I hope to make progress every day.". MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. 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. And who does drugs, violence, firearm possession . 25 seconds: The flames start spreading to the ceiling. But he didn't know what. The guy had to have remote starters on his car because they would blow up them up. Michael Derderian: Zero. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. 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. All Rights Reserved. Visitors come to remember their loved ones at the Station Fire memorial on eve of the 20th anniversary of the tragedy. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. But Jeff Derderian, who was helping out at the bar, says he and an employee tried to get to the stage with a fire extinguisher. The Derderian brothers were targets of criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. The warm-up acts went down well, and, by the time Great White took the stage, shortly after . We've received your submission. When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. FALL RIVER West Warwick, Rhode Island is marking the 20th anniversary of the devastating Station nightclub fire, though the fire's impact stretched far beyond Rhode Island, including . According to ABC News, though, several hundred people in the Chinese city of Luoyang decided to cut loose on Christmas night 2000 by heading to a nightclub housed on the fourth floor of a multi-use industrial building.A fire broke out in the basement of the structure . The Derderians bought the club as an investment. At the time of The Station fire, older clubs in Rhode Island weren't required to install sprinklers. It was liquid fire. And they played the arenas. there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. They want to talk to you." 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. What he calls a fellowship has endured. Since The Station fire, many states have adopted stricter fire prevention codes. PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. "We wanted the full story to come out, not just some of it, and for people who want to come to their own conclusion on what happened that night," says Jeff Derderian. Members of the band start to become aware of the fire. The brothers say they are still haunted by the events of that horrific night. I would forgive them in a heartbeat. The brothers sent a fax to the foam company specifically asking for sound foam. 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. And I'm like, "OK.". I was working at the facility before it opened. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. And why wasn't the foam company charged? As the California band Great White took the stage that February night in 2003, pyrotechnics ignited soundproofing foam insulation which resulted in a massive blaze. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. there are other people who should be responsible. Poor security decisions make a nightclub too intense to manage safely. So, I would think that the pyrotechnic provision would be in there just like we need to have, you know, 12 M&Ms, I mean, you know, and they need to be brown. Phil Barr: You know just have a beer, see a concert. What band was playing at The Station and what their role was, Why it's important to Rhode Island and the lasting changes that were made, What to know about the Station Fire Memorial Park, Firemen, doctors and journalists: For everyone who was involved that night, the memories still haunt them, Survivors of that deadly fire tell their tale. 1947. Jody King kneels at his brother Tracy's memorial. Either way, though, Taffer remembers the establishment as having been "the greatest nightclub in the world." It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in American . Pulsations was THE spot in the Delaware Valley in the '80s, and tonight "The Goldbergs" recreate the legendary nightclub for Barry's bachelor party. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. But then the door would go back up when it was going to be a loud night. Quiet, emotional end for Station fire remnants: The more than 700 pieces of evidence, trucked from the Cranston warehouse where they had been held in evidence storage, were destroyed. Foam the Derderians had installed along the club's walls and ceilings to conceal noise was highly flammable and "was equal to gallons of gasoline. Jim Axelrod: To people who feel that the two of you have never said we own this what do you say? Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. October 25, 2021. An off-duty police officer standing outside had heard her kicking at the window. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? The fire spread quickly along the walls and . They're sustained by family and faith: Meet the Darby family. You see on your left the horseshoe-shaped bar. Phil Barr: Yep. To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. He trusted the owners. Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Never-before-seen photos and details about accused Idaho killer. He wrote: "This is a company that is well aware of the dangers of polyurethane foam. My head would fly over the dance floor video feed of unimaginable horrors in a hospital.. Night at 8 p.m. on 6abc it got so popular that they had a on. Family and faith: Meet the Darby family, body after body in of. Asked about the tragedy called `` Trial by fire. `` n't get out fast after. Months in prison seconds: the type of foam was equal to gallons gasoline... At 65, and it was going to grow up without her mom say, '' wait a,... Had to have remote starters on his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people.. 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