Pulsations was a 15,000-square-foot club. Patrick Lynch: while troubling, concerning, maddening it doesn't mean that somebody should be charged or can be. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. One of them is never say die, never give up. And while they weren't charged in the criminal case, survivors and victims' families sued them in civil court for not warning the Derderians the foam they sent them was flammable. Deadliest club fire in history, and the second-worst single-building fire in American history (second only to the Iroquois Theatre fire ) Karlslust dance hall fire. Almost immediately the finger pointing started. JEFF DERDERIAN [crying]: Many people didn't make it out and that is a horror that will haunt my family and I for the rest of our lives. Originated during a fire show by a male dancer on stage, described as holding sparklers. Here is a 1992 simulation of a one of a kind nightclub called Pulsations that was located in Glen Mills, PA. At midnight the spaceship would make its way fro. [tearing up] "What a great brother you have. The fire was started by. The guy had to have remote starters on his car because they would blow up them up. Station Fire Memorial Foundation rejects donation from Great White singer: Out of the ashes of the Station fire, tougher building codes arose. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. But has prevention actually improved? ", Scott James: They had their moments. Jim Axelrod: There are so many people still to this day angry that the case didn't go to trial. Twenty years have passed since the fire at the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island where 100 people died in and . They all later accepted plea deals. The night of the fire, hundreds of people gathered at The Station to see the band Great White. Because so many people that were there don't have that opportunity. Michael Derderian: No. After prison, Biechele rebuilding life in Fla.: How tragedy inspired one member of Great White. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? PATRICK LYNCH [press conference]: We have an investigation on going and we need help, we need answers and I'm trying to get them. 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. Medical teams met the challenge; everyone who got out survived that night: Whatever their memories, the medical professionals who helped the victims of the Station nightclub fire 10 years ago have one thing in common: they will never forget. The blaze began when the band Jack Russell's Great White took the stage and their tour manager set off four large fireworks. A story about you in Vice magazine mentions a time at one of your bars when a robot descended from the ceiling and danced with female customers. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. 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. Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. The fire at the Mountain B nightclub, about 111 miles southeast of the capital Bangkok, started at about 1:00 a.m. local time, Wuttipong Somjai, a superintendent at a local police station, told . 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. Lee . The answer is no. We ran two operating rooms for almost three weeks, five days a week.. 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. On June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old man, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States.Orlando Police officers shot and killed him after a three-hour standoff. The evacuation of the building turned to chaos as patrons surged toward the exits. It was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history up to that time. I couldn't get up. "We went out on a Thursday night to listen to music, drink some beers and have a good time. And a quarter of those people didn't get to go home ever," says survivor Linda Saran, who was severely burned in the fire at The Station nightclub. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Jim Axelrod: When the foam came, was there anything on the packaging that indicated that it was highly flammable? If they stood up and said, small business owners, we were inexperienced. 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. Patrick Lynch: First of all, I think it's pathetic, disgusting and unsettling to think that they're even speaking now The foam that they put up had a direct impact on the survivability of the bulk of the people that were assembled that night. Twenty years after the nation's 4th worst nightclub fire, Rhode Island is still dealing with the collective trauma, legislative fallout and lasting impacts of The Station nightclub fire. Michael Derderian: That is correct. Pulsar would come out of a spaceship and dance with the crowd every night. But not by Jody King. The fire broke out at around 1 a.m. at the Mountain B nightclub, a one-story building in the Sattahip district of Chonburi province, southeast of Bangkok and about 30 kilometers (18 miles) south . I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. Now in private practice, Lynch says he looked into a host of people. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. The Station Nightclub Fire, Rhode Island, 2003. 1 of 69. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station . 25 seconds: The flames start spreading to the ceiling. This is solid gasoline. Also outside was club owner Jeff Derderian. A band that was on the platform that night, during its performance, used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the platform. Patrick Lynch: Jeffrey and Michael Derderian. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. But many, including the brothers, feel strongly Laroque should also have been charged. A band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. The warm-up acts went down well, and, by the time Great White took the stage, shortly after . 2.10.13: 'It went up like a match. This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 21:26. Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. For the rest of her life, she will bear the scars from that terrible night 20 years ago. Negligent nightclub bar security can be the cause of the Death of a Nightclub. And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. It wasnt about forgiveness for the death of his brother, because he never blamed them. And then, ever so slowly, he learned to walk again. 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! Linda Saran: My hospital roommate, he and I took turns driving the respiratory therapist crazy in some ways it's almost like being in war together. it was also on fire. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. Linda Saran: I think a lot of people miss out on the moments. And settled for $1 million. Northeastern law professor and GBH legal analyst Daniel . It would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. And outside I went. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Either way, though, Taffer remembers the establishment as having been "the greatest nightclub in the world." 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. And then the main exit that hallway where everyone came through. Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. Lego 41027 - Der TOP-Favorit unserer Produkttester. Watch. For annual late-night Station remembrance, memorial a peaceful, meaningful addition: Station fire memorial nearing completion: Hundreds witness groundbreaking for Station fire memorial: Medical teams met the challenge; everyone who got out survived that night: In firefighters' hearts, the disaster isn't over: Quiet, emotional end for Station fire remnants: RI Hospital specialists, Station fire victims reflect after a decade since deadly blaze: Station fire, 15 years later: Survivors tell their stories: Station nightclub fire survivor tells burn victims love can happen amid scars, fears: Son of Great White guitarist cheers sick children to honor his dad: Gina Russo says she emerged from the flames in a better place: Fused by pain, Station fire survivors, loved ones mark 18th anniversary: Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Derderian brothers were targets of criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. Back in the day, Portuguese nightclubs had an age limit of sixteen. You know people didn't react instantly. 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. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? To the right is this much larger space in front of a stage. Linda Saran: Most of the crowd thought it was part of the show and didn't move. We had a robot custom-built for us by International Robotronics in New York. Michael Derderian: The club was sold. Jim Axelrod: Do you feel, "Oh my goodness, we're in trouble?". Produced by Betsy Shuller and Chris Young Ritzen. Former Pulsations Nightclub Parking Lot - 240 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA. You were not approaching that area at all. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. Kat Teurfs is the associate producer. 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. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub . 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. One of the angles Lynch investigated was the Derderian brothers. But has prevention actually improved? [tears up] And the roof and just everything just fast, too fast. Taffer recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss bars and his history with them. Dance & Night Club. He lost his fingers and ears as well as the sight in his left eye, along with much of his nose tissue. Pulse nightclub owner and onePULSE foundation founder Barbara Poma says, on the sixth anniversary of the shooting that killed 49 people, this year feels different than the last. Unlike many of the patrons there, this was Barr's first time at the club. That night, he allowed a cameraman to shoot footage inside the club for an upcoming story about safety in public venues. Biden draws focus from Harris' border visit with Pulse memorial event. And they played the arenas. Phil Barr: Yep. So, the only way to pick up a can of soda would be to do this [lifting both arms out parallel in front of her]. Jeff Derderian: That door was meant to block the noise from the neighbors. Sunday marks the 19th anniversary of The Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island, that killed 100 people. 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