All rights reserved. This site uses cookies by us and our advertising partners to deliver relevant advertising on our site, personalized content and to perform analytics. Russell added that he is "glad" the film was made. Outside, from the A/D corner, the operator filmed side D at 11:09:26 showing smoke from the stage door with visible flames inside. The outlet reported that the surviving band members were never charged. Michelle R. Smith / Associated Press Facebook Weeks later, when I awoke from my coma I immediately understood and accepted what was going on. "America's Deadliest Rock Concert . At the time of the fire, the group that was on the road was called JACK RUSSELL'S GREAT WHITE. [My son] is just a thought away.". Gahans family helped pass legislation in Massachusetts that would require automatic sprinkler systems in bars and nightclubs with an occupancy of 100 or more people. 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett) introduced legislation this week that would provide all students in Rhode Island with free break and lunch meals throughout the school year. In a West Warwick Police Department witness statement, an employee stated 250 to 260 paying patrons were counted by a doorman's clicker prior to the fire. The Guest List is a film about the lives affected and forever connected by one of the most horrific tragedies in music history. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). Russell exited GREAT WHITE in December 2011 after he was unable to tour with the group due a series of injuries, including a perforated bowel and a shattered pelvis. Email: [email protected]. The public has a short memory, unfortunately. Vegetation, accumulated snow and fencing restricted firefighter access to sides C and D. On the side-D interior wall, a raised wooden platform served as a stage. Access into side A, facing Cowesett Road, was via double doors opening into an eight-foot-long hallway, through a single door into an eight-foot-long vestibule ending at a ticket booth. He moved back to Rhode Island in late 2002 to raise a family, and remembers well the night of the fire. Sherman lost two cousins in the fire. To this day, it is one of the most comfortable and relaxing places for me, says Joe Kinan, who to date has undergone 136 surgeries, including a hand transplant. He has 40 years' experience in the volunteer fire service. Do you believe schools have a responsibility to provide their students with universal, free breakfast and lunch? In the afternoon before the concert, Bellino said, Russell met many Great White fans in the West Warwick area and added their names to the guest list for the show that night. A Newport and a Tiverton restaurant took top honors for best burgers after this years Newport Burger Benders fierce 10-day competition. '", The singer said that the documentary, which he hopes will help bring him some closure, is "really well done. His life and work as a writer, actor and musician has been memorialized by the documentary 41 and in the book 41 Signs of Hope. One member, guitarist Ty Longley, was killed in the fire. William Adams offers an initial look at the dispatch and response to the Station Night Club fire in West Warwick, RI. The Guest List: The Station Nightclub Fire, Americas Deadliest Rock Concert will premiere on Sunday, February 20, 2022. The film explores the fire through survivor accounts and family members and friends of victims who have memorialized their loss through pursuits ranging from an exhibit of commemorative body art to re-immersion in the rock culture that initially brought them and their loved ones to the Station. People that I didn't even know were even there. "We hope Jims family takes comfort that his star will forever shine on!". The fire chief was the only West Warwick firefighter allowed to be interviewed for the NIST and DHS reports. I didnt realize it was going to take so long, he said. Set to premiere on the REELZ network at 8 p.m. on Feb. 20 the 19th anniversary of the blaze that claimed 100 lives is Bellinos Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List.. "I look at it like this: if it makes it easier for them to grieve the loss of somebody close to them, then my shoulders are big enough," he explained. At the time, roughly $175 million had been offered by dozens of defendants to settle lawsuits over the blaze. It was the first procedure of its kind at the Massachusetts General Hospital Hand Transplantation Service. The Guest List will premiere on the REELZ channel at 8 pm on Sunday, February 20. The result is poignant footage contrasting very different life stories. The event devastated the close-knit state of Rhode Island and changed the concert landscape for New England rock music fans. Pyrotechnics is a technique of using materials that can undergo self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions which results in the production of heat . Sides C and D were not accessible to apparatus. The documentary is in seven parts; this is the first. He will continue to require surgeries for the rest of his life. From the left, a handicap ramp led up to the entryway with stairs leading up from the right, both protected by a waist-high metal hand rail running parallel to side A directly opposite the door opening. 3 minutes, 25 seconds: The front entrance is filled with smoke as the crowd of people struggles . The cameraman emerges safely from the nightclub, however there are 100 people who sadly do not ever make it outside. Amid the chaos, Ricardi couldnt see his friend but was hoping that Gahan was right behind him. The event devastated the close-knit state of Rhode Island and changed the concert landscape for New England rock music fans. Gahan and Ricardi decided to stick around for the show. The front (side A) and half of the east side (side B) provided parking for numerous vehicles and was accessible only from Cowesett Road. The tragic and now infamous blaze, which came to be known as. Kendall later said he was asked to join Russell and his solo band on the tour to help boost attendance. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The details of the Station tragedy are well-known in Rhode Island. A 2007 Providence Journal article identified, by name, age, city and state, 462 occupants, noting there were additional patrons who chose not to be identified. Fire broke out during the performance and pyrotechnic display by the '80s band. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism Their stories embody courage and deliver inspiration while others depict a much darker aftermath. It took less than 5 minutes for fire to engulf The Station nightclub, packed with . 3:37. A survivor's own story (from the Brockton Enterprise, via YouTube) The Station nightclub fire would become one of the deadliest fires in a club in U.S. history. "I lost a lot of friends that night a lot of friends. "On the 20th February 2003 at the Station Nightclub in Rhode Island, pyrotechnics set fire to acoustic foam surrounding the stage." As always, THANK YOU to. "America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List" premiers Feb 20th on @ReelzChannelhttps://t.co/uQPOE13agm, Dee Snider (@deesnider) February 5, 2022. Still, he said he understood why some believe he should be held accountable for what happened fifteen years ago. "The documentary addresses timeless themes of personal responsibility, acceptance forgiveness and redemption. Fire broke out during the performance and pyrotechnic display by the '80s band. The fire was started by pyrotechnics going off on stage while the band Great White performed. Jimmy Gahan was ecstatic when he was offered the opportunity to interview Jack Russell, the lead singer of Great White. Russell said that the flames from the pyrotechnic display spread to foam decorations around the stage. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images), "This was eventually going to happen one night," James reflected about the Station nightclub fire. 100 concert goers died in the fire, and hundreds more were injured when the foam soundproofing ignited from the pyro on stage, an enormous fire erupted, and many fans were trapped in the building. "It was broccoli with pasta and chicken with shallots. Just seconds after 80s sensation Great White took the stage, pyrotechnics ignited a fire that . At 11:08:09, flames are visible on the rear right wall. A Rhode Island State Police (RISP) report stated after the 2310 dispatch, FA notified Battalion 1 that police on scene were reporting people trapped, they were requesting multiple rescues and FA had already requested three out-of-town rescues (from Coventry). Bellino said that after this two-hour broadcast version airs, he hopes to release the documentary in its originally conceived format a multi-episode series. This is an IMPORTANT rock doc that EVERYONE needs to watch. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of all cookies. Kinan was severely burned in the Station nightclub fire. Three seconds later, fire alarm strobes began flashing and the fire alarm began sounding. This award-winning documentary by Christian de Rezendes and Christian O'Neill tells a remarkable story of The Station nightclub fire's youngest victim, Nicholas O'Neill (Christian O'Neill's brother). The building was set back 140 feet from Cowesett Road and 33 feet from Kulas Road, which steeply inclined upward from north to south. 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. Access and egress from the vestibule was at right angles to the traffic flow left into the bar room and right toward the dance floor. 10:00 PM 22:00. Fire departments provided virtually all emergency medical service (EMS); consequently, coordination and cooperation between suppression and EMS personnel was a non-issue. Ten years after the fire, WPRI, a Providence news channel, gave this . 10. It primarily features the inspiring story of Joe, Carrie, and Hadley Kinan". The 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. "America's Deadliest Concert: The Guest List", a documentary about the infamous GREAT WHITE concert fire nearly two decades ago that killed a hundred people and injured hundreds more, will receive its premiere on Reelz on February 20. But Saturday night, as . Gahans father, James Gahan, also spoke out for the special. Today, James said Ricardi has stayed in touch with the family. No. Local, independent news for Newport, Rhode Island; Martha's Vineyard; Nantucket; and Stowe, Vermont. I remember I sat in the dark just in total shock, just waiting for anything that I could get. We'd love to hear eyewitness The incident remains the subject of intense media coverage. They bonded over music. I persevere each day.. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The professional association representing West Warwick firefighters was offered the opportunity to comment for this article, but declined to respond. We talk about the Station nightclub fire that happened 19 years ago. Theres a lot of people who can be helped by watching what these people have gone through.. This past December, former GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell, whose pyrotechnics ignited the deadly blaze on February 20, 2003 in Rhode Island, told Tulsa Music Stream about the documentary: "We took three years shooting this thing. Starring John Barnard Scott R. Leary. With intimate insight from people who were impacted by the tragedy, this is a potent portrait of humanity, from deep resentment and brutal suffering to resilience and the power of community., This documentary addresses timeless themes of personal responsibility, loss, courage and forgiveness. First responders share their experiences of battling the blaze, treating victims and managing the chaos as it unfolded. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. A Brazilian court has sentenced four people to lengthy prison terms over the deaths of 242 club-goers in a fire during a party in 2013. The fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick began in an overcrowded club when pyrotechnics from Russell's GREAT WHITE ignited illegal soundproofing foam lining the club's walls. Police heard patrons screaming and kicking at the bar room and sunroom windows. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images), Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines February 18, Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson involved in Georgia police chase; boyfriend arrested, Rebel Wilson says Meghan Markle wasn't as 'naturally warm' as Prince Harry in meeting, Kelly Osbourne shares first glimpse of infant son in photo with 'Uncle Jack', Prince Harry addresses 'Spare' backlash in interview: 'I have never looked for sympathy in this', Shania Twain was 'uncontrollably fragile' from ex Mutt Lange's affair with friend: 'How could I be so stupid', Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe reveals 'promise' she made to mother before her death. Ten years ago, on February 20, 2003, re broke out at a nightclub in Warwick, Rhode Island, USA. While he survived, Ricardi spent years suffering from survivors guilt. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. The E2 nightclub stampede occurred on February 17, 2003, at the E2 nightclub above the Epitome restaurant at 2347 South Michigan Avenue in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, in which 21 people died and more than 50 were injured when panic ensued from the use of pepper spray by a security guard to break up a fight. Heres whats on tap for weather this week and weekend. Smoke banked down in the front hallway 66 seconds after ignition. There's a certain thing in music that is very healing, and it's helped a lot of people through the aftermath of the fire.". This professional video shows the club's interior, ignition, crowd reaction and fire progression. The one-story building burned to the ground in about three minutes. Russell said that parts of the movie are especially hard for him to watch "because a lot of people blame me." The fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick began in an overcrowded club when pyrotechnics from Russell's GREAT WHITE ignited illegal soundproofing foam lining the club's walls. They would be burned alive, identified days later only by dental records or tattoos. This experience has taught me that I am a tenacious individual. We must never forget . Game tables were pushed against the windows to increase the occupancy for that evening. It's told from the personal perspectives of those who were there. Americas Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List is partially based on the book, Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, Americas Deadliest Rock Concert, written by John Barylick. 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, . Snider, who was instrumental in bringing together fellow recording artists for a fundraising concert for survivors and victims families, can be heard performing a new song, Stand., Nobody should have to die because they want to see a band and listen to the music they love. October 25, 2021. The NIST report correlated the WPRI video with fire alarm and police time clocks and amateur videos producing a common timeline. The outlet noted the brothers pleaded no contest to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2006. "Many victims of The Station fire had been seduced by the siren song of rock celebrity. 3:21. Commercial ambulances, handling non-emergency transports and transfers, did not operate on fire frequencies. The Station Nightclub Fire - Part 2. Gahan and Ricardi spoke to Russell in the bands bus, which was parked in the nightclubs parking lot. All it took for a hundred people to die during a show by the hair metal band Great White was a sudden . Share with Us. Legal proceedings are ongoing. Walls and ceilings of the stage area and a recessed drummer's alcove were covered with egg crate-style 2-inch-thick, non-fire-retardant polyurethane foam insulation commonly used as packing material. He and his pal, Michael Ricardi, were the hosts of "Jim and Mikeys Power Hour" on the college radio station WNRC. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. According to the report, Rhode Island has seen varying amounts of snowfall in different parts of the state. That was the last time I saw him. A new book is shedding new light on an 18-year-old tragedy, suggesting that the 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick RI may have been the fault of more than just the owners of the nightclub who were convicted along with the band manager who set off the pyrotechnics that killed 100 people and . Be Proactive. And he met his wife in the fire and they had a beautiful son. The Station fire was a perfect storm of human error that became one of the worst nightclub tragedies in US history. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall founded the band with Russell in 1982. The truth is ugly but should never be forgotten. Jimmy Gahan was a celebrated athlete before he became actively involved with music, his other passion. Washington: Firing outside St. Louis night club in Missouri, 5 people injured. This project is an effort to raise awareness, promote education, and change the way people think about fire safety. Viewers will also see rare and jarring footage from the first news crews on the scene tasked with reporting the horrific event as victims families eagerly awaited news.