The Station was a nightclub located in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The venue focused on bringing in hair metal acts and tribute bands to a town ridiculed for having far too many residents stuck in the 80s. On February 20, 2003, the nightclub was destroyed in a fire caused by a pyrotechnic display on stage. 96 people were killed by the blaze (four later died of their injuries), which consumed the club within three minutes.
Great White was the headliner at the club that night. During their first song, a huge pillar of sparks ignited the sound-dampening foam on the ceiling above the stage. A television reporter from local CBS affiliate WPRI was at the club, shooting b-roll footage for a special on nightclub safety in the wake of a fatal stampede at the Chicago nightclub E2. The cameraman ended up with more than he bargained for; his footage shows the flames spreading quickly behind the band and into the crowd.
There were no sprinklers inside the Station, as the building was built before sprinkler systems were required.
Despite the two additional emergency exits from The Station, most people attempted to escape through the main entrance. Although the exit signage was probably adequate—the club had recently passed a fire inspection—smoke probably obscured any signs or lights. There were photographs taken of a pile of people trying to get out the main entrance while rescuers attempted in vain to pull them out. In addition, the main doors were designed to open into the building.
More than 180 people were injured in the fire. Every available ambulance in the state was called to help transport the wounded to nearby hospitals.
Among the dead are Great White's guitarist, Ty Longley, who leaves behind his pregnant wife; and local radio personality Dr. Metal, who introduced the band. The Doctor had spent over 20 years playing metal on the air overnight on WHJY.
Soon after the blaze, accusations began to fly. Rhode Island requires a separate permit for every show that requests the use of pyrotechnics. No permit was issued for the Great White concert. The owners of the club, WPRI reporter Jeff Derderian and his brother Michael, deny any prior knowledge of the pyrotechnics. Great White, on the other hand, claim that they were given permission to set off the sparks. The owner of the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey states that the band had used the same pyrotechnic equipment without permission at his club on February 14. Meanwhile, Great White's managers state that tour personnel always verify that pyrotechnics have been approved. Regardless, there was no pyro expert the night of the fire.
The complicated legal aftermath of the disaster involved the band; the club owners; WPRI, the television station who employed the owners; Shell Oil; Budweiser; and pretty much any company involved with promoting that particular concert. Many of the defendants were dismissed in November of 2005. Daniel Biechele, the band's manager who was operating the fireworks that night, pled guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter, and will serve 4 years in prison. At his sentencing, he was taunted by survivors and the families of the dead. His mother was harassed with epithets. Nonetheless, he was released in March of 2008. He had delivered a handwritten letter to the families of each of the dead, and more than 20 letters in support of his early release were received by the parole board.
The club owners pleaded no contest to their charges, which avoided a trial. Michael was sentenced to prison time and will be released in September of 2009. Jeffrey received a suspended prison sentence, probation, and community service.
Settlements paid out total nearly $175 million. The defendants include local TV station WPRI, JBL, Anheuser-Busch, Clear Channel, and Home Depot.
The Providence Journal has aggressively reported on the aftermath of this disaster, tracking in minute detail each survivor's path out of the building, every person who was at the show, the further activities of Great White, and the messed-up lives of the victims' families.
The Station fire now ranks as the highest death toll at a concert. It is the third highest death toll of a US nightclub fire, following the Beverly Hills Supper Club and Cocoanut Grove fires, which killed 165 and 492, respectively. It was also the worst fire in Rhode Island history.
The site of this deadly event is now covered with crosses: one for each of the dead.
More data than you could shake a stick at is at: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/2/23/153446/542
Additional information from various AP and Reuters articles.