Station Nightclub Fire

The Station Nightclub Fire was a fire that occurred at a hard rock venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island during a concert on February 20, 2003. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in US history.

## Incident

On the night of February 20, 2003, a total of 462 people were in attendance for a concert from American glam metal band Great White. The band was on an 18-date concert tour and were slated to perform at the Station, a hard rock venue in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The fire started around 11:07 PM as the tour manager, Daniel Bichele, ignited pyrotechnic effects as the band was performing their opening song, *Desert Moon*. Sparks from the pyrotechnics would ignite acoustic foam on the walls and ceiling of the venue.

A panic ensued within seconds as the crowd noticed the flames as soon as the pyrotechnics ended with lead singer Jack Russell commenting "Wow, that's not good" and ending the performance. A fire alarm was triggered within minutes, but it was later found that the alarm wasn't connected to the West Warwick Fire Department and no sprinkler system was installed. Although four exits were available, most of the crowd tried to push their way through the front exit and caused a crush in the narrow hallway. The band had made it out safely, but one of the band's guitarists, Ty Longley, went back inside the building after realizing he left his guitar inside against the advice of the rest of his bandmates.

The fire department arrived at around 11:13 PM as calls flooded in from 911 dispatch regarding the fire and put out the blaze with the help of 4 other fire departments at around 1:30 AM the next morning. In total, 100 people were killed and 263 others were injured in the fire.

## Aftermath

An investigation into the fire began on February 26, 2003 and 3 people would be indicted in the incident: Bichele as well as the venue's owners, Jeffrey and Micheral Derderian. They would be charged with 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter with criminal negligence and 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of a misdemeanor on December 9, 2003. Bichele would plead guilty to all charged on February 7, 2006 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with 11 suspended as well as 3 years probation and was released in March 2008. The Derderians pleaded no contest to the charges, with Jeffrey being sentenced to 500 hours of community service and Michael receiving the same sentence as Bichele. Michael would be released from prison in June 2009.

The manufacturer of the foam, American Foam, settled a lawsuit in 2008 for $6.5 million as it was discovered the company knew their product was highly flammable and sold it anyways. It was also revealed that the venue had overbooked the concert and was in violation of fire code as there was too many people inside the building at the time of the fire. 10 total settlements were reached in several lawsuits regarding the fire, with victims and their families receiving $176 million as of 2021.

## Victims

* Albert Anthony DiBonaventura, 18
* Nicholas Philip O'Neill, 18
* Eugene Avilez, 21
* James C. Gahan IV, 21
* Stephen M. Libera, 21
* Leigh Ann Moreau, 21
* Mark A. Fontaine, 22
* Derek J. Gray, 22
* Andrew R. Hoban, 22
* John Michael Longiaru, 23
* Christopher Karnig Prouty, 24
* Rebecca E. Shaw, 24
* Jason Robert Sylvester, 24
* Bridget Marie Sanetti, 25
* Sandy Hoogasian, 26
* Katherine Margaret O'Donnell, 26
* Bonnie Lynn Hamelin, 27
* Lisa Jean Kelly, 27
* Thomas Marion Jr., 27
* Abbie Lea Hoisington, 28
* Andrea Louise Mancini, 28
* Shawn Patrick Sweet, 28
* Stacie Jude Angers, 29
* Edward Everett Ervanian II, 29
* Tammy Angela Housa, 29
* Keith R. Lapierre, 29
* Donna M. Mitchell, 29
* Robert L. Reisner III, 29
* Robert Daniel Young, 29
* Dina Ann DeMaio, 30
* Michael Joseph Kulz, 30
* Theresa Rakoski, 30
* Kevin R. Washburn, 30
* Everett T. Woodmansee III, 30
* Edward Bradley Corbett III, 31
* Michael E. Cordier, 31
* Robert J. Croteau, 31
* Rachel K. Florio-DiPietro, 31
* Michael B. Hoogasian, 31
* Ty Christopher Longley, 31
* Ryan M. Morin, 31
* Christopher G. Arruda, 32
* Mary H. Baker, 32
* Thomas J. Fleming, 32
* Michael A. Fresolo, 32
* Laura L. Gillett, 32
* Eric James Hyer, 32
* Derek Brian Johnson, 32
* Jeffrey Scott Rader, 32
* Louis S. Alves, 33
* Tina M. Ayer, 33
* Tracey Lynne Frederickson, 33
* Pamela Ann Gruttadauria, 33
* Jeffrey Wood Martin, 33
* Beth Ellen Mosczynski, 33
* Matthew James Pickett, 33
* Keith A, Mancini, 34
* Laureen M. Beauchaine, 35
* Charline Elaine Fick, 35
* Scott C. Greene, 35
* Joseph E. Rossi, 35
* William Christopher Bonardi III, 36
* Matthew P. Darby, 36
* Dennis J. Smith, 36
* Kevin Paul Anderson, 37
* Richard A. Cabral Jr., 37
* Christina DiRienzo, 37
* Kevin J. Dunn, 37
* US Navy CPO Daniel John Fredrickson, 37
* James F. Gooden Jr., 37
* Jude Henault, 37
* Judith I. Manzo, 37
* Kristen Leigh McQuarrie, 37
* Samuel A. Miceli Jr., 37
* Sarah Jane Telgarsky, 37
* Thomas Alan Barnett, 38
* Kristine M. Carbone, 38
* Alfred Carmino Crisostomi, 38
* Jason R. Morton, 38
* Carlos Louis Pimental Sr., 38
* Carlton L. Howorth III, 39
* Tracy F. King, 39
* Steven Ronald Mancini, 39
* Mitchell Camron Shubert, 39
* Victor Stark, 39
* Steven Thomas Blom, 40
* Lori K. Durante, 40
* Michael James Gonsalves, 40
* Thomas P. Medeiros, 40
* Walter E. Rich, 40
* Kelly Lynne Vieira, 40
* Karla Jean Bagtaz, 41
* Scott Griffith, 41
* William W. Cartwright, 42
* Lisa Marie D'Andrea, 42
* Benjamin J. Suffoletto Jr., 43
* Linda Dee Suffoletto, 43
* Melvin Arthur Gerfin Jr., 46
* Dale L. Latulippe, 46
* Donald P. Roderiques, 46