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. Show Transcript. Biechele and Michael Derderian went to prison. It is the fourth-deadliest nightclub . This was a mistake, King said. 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. Tables can be seen strewn with half-consumed drinks and food that was abandoned when Omar Mateen suddenly opened fire. The company paid a hefty settlement and they weren't the only ones. The one-story building burned to the ground in about three minutes. Germany. In many communities, the crucial task of inspecting buildings in search of potentially life-threatening fire hazards falls to just one person. January 30, 2023 Chris McGoey. Jim Axelrod: How do you know he went in nine times? And I was paying staff pricing for beer because I knew a guy. Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. And why wasn't the foam company charged? there was nothing that would make it so you couldn't get out of it. "We never knew the whole story because the trial never happened, so everything really never came out," says Jody King, whose brother worked at The Station as a bouncer. At 15,000 square feet, Pulsations itself featured 10 levels, 11 bars, and 12 VIP hotel rooms. It was completely preventable. Within minutes the building was engulfed in flame and toxic smoke as the highly flammable polyurethane foam glued to the nightclubs walls as soundproofing ignited. In a 9-1-1 call made shortly after the shooting began, Mateen swore allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi . In 2003, 100 people died and over 200 were injured at a rock concert in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Band road manager Daniel Biechele, for triggering the pyrotechnics that sparked the fire. Doreen Schechter and Gary Winter are the editors. Absolutely not. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Jim Axelrod: Over the course of the investigation, what did you learn about the way the brothers ran their business? Linda Saran: The foam was raining down and the flames are dripping from the ceiling. The Station nightclub fire killed 100 people and injured more than 200. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Former Pulsations Nightclub Parking Lot - 240 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA. The Derderians say that in the three years they owned the club, no one ever questioned the safety of the foam. . 1947. The fire was sparked by a welding accident on the basement, with most floors of the Dongdu building being dedicated to blue-collar activities, and the nightclub itself being located only on the fourth floor. In fact, they did the opposite.". Station Fire Memorial Foundation rejects donation from Great White singer: The lead singer of the band whose fireworks touched off the Station nightclub fire that killed 100 people was forced to search for a new charity to be the recipient of money to be raised at a benefit concert in California. It was a nightclub called Pulsations that opened in 1983. And I stood up. It was one of the deadliest nightclub fires in the nation's history, and an event that has had lasting consequences for hundreds of families. Dan Biechele, center, at his sentencing. I couldn't hear noise. That happened in 2001. The 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history. We screwed up." Jim Axelrod: Does this mean you feel a sense of responsibility? In the days after the fire, victims' families and survivors faced a harsh new reality. Jim Axelrod: Were you a fan of the band Great White? We're running out of time." It has since been recorded as the worst mass . How many people died in the station nightclub fire? And if we could change it, we would. 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. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. Poor security decisions make a nightclub too intense to manage safely. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. Phil Barr awoke after three weeks in a medically induced coma and was told his lungs had been badly damaged. So, it was very quickly they were in the circle of people we should look at. 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. Jody King: He ran in and came out nine times in 90 seconds. The biggest question was, why had the fire spread so quickly? 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. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. Almost twenty years after one of the deadliest building fires in history, the owners of West Warwick, Rhode Island's The Station nightclub are speaking out. Four parties found themselves at the center of the finger-pointing in the wake of the fire: Biechele and the Derderians, the only people ever charged in connection with the fire, each pleaded to 100 counts of manslaughter Biechele pleading guilty; the Derderians, no contest. Jody King: They blamed three. Back in 1983, Bar Rescue host Jon Taffer helped start the beloved Glen Mills hangout, Pulsations Nightclub a period that he today appears to recall fondly. Barr was now outside, but he felt like his lungs were on fire. Jim Axelrod is the chief investigative correspondent and senior national correspondent for CBS News, reporting for "CBS This Morning," "CBS Evening News," "CBS Sunday Morning" and other CBS News broadcasts. The tour manager for the rock band Great White pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison. Michael Derderian: But that door became impassable almost within seconds because clearly there's foam that's burning at 800 or 1,500 degrees. 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. Jim Axelrod: Did you have enough time to form those complete thoughts? And that's when I noticed the black on my arms. 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. But even more than walking, Phil wanted to return to swimming. He got a tire iron from his car, smashed the glass, and started pulling people out. Jim Axelrod: The fire spread so quickly because rather than fire-retardant sound foam, on the wall of the club was highly flammable packing foam. Michael Derderian: Remember, I'm still in Florida. True to his words, Barr fought to breathe on his own. But the night of the fire it was up to help cut down the noise. The guy had to have remote starters on his car because they would blow up them up. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. The state of Rhode Island is small," says author Scott James. 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. The night of the fire Jeff Derderian gave a statement to the local police and another one to an investigator with the Attorney General's Office. We bronzed the bras and hung them over the urinals in the men's room. In rural towns and villages, that individual may have another full-time job, or even be an unpaid volunteer. Building was of mixed-use. The Station was owned by brothers Michael and Jeff Derderian. Survivors and friends of survivors active in the effort to turn the nightclub site in West Warwick into a memorial park recount the emotional journeys that brought them from 2003 to 2018. Catch the episode Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on 6abc! Both the brothers had other jobs. Linda Saran: Yes. 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 . They were told to take it down. The roof was caving in, walls were caving in, body after body in front of me. 1 of 69. They are speaking out about the fire for the first time. Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA, United States . He was worried about his brother Tracy who worked there as a bouncer. Cold air washing over me. The fire started at the West Warwick club when a manager for the band Great White set off pyrotechnics for the band's show . Everyone has a Pulsations story! It ended when the suspect failed to attack a 2nd venue and committed suicide in his van. Help. Jeff Derderian: this is flammable you can't have this. He doesn't know. It looked like it was raining black fire. Tracy died never giving up. "24 Reported Dead, 70 Injured In Fire in South Korean Disco", "China holds 31 responsible for disco blaze", "54 Die in Fire at Youth Hangout in South Korea", "Fire Kills 54, Injures 75 at Illegal Bar in S. Korea", "Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America", "Ballroom blaze that killed firefighter arson", " "911": - ? I thought how terrible it was that my daughter was going to grow up without her mom. He spent 33 months in prison, while Jeff had to do 500 hours of community service. Should PTSD qualify for injured-on-duty status? The brothers, however, find that hard to believe considering the foam covered the walls, ceiling and even the inward swinging door he cited as a violation. The spaceship was 27 feet in diameter, pulled about 600 amps and had 70 lighting systems on it. 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. Phil Barr: Being a survivor of The Station nightclub fire is a piece of who I am. He don't know. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. It was THE spot in the Delaware Valley in the '80s, and tonight "The Goldbergs" recreate the legendary nightclub for Barry's bachelor party. They should have blamed more. 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. Flames can be seen on the back wall. As Great White started their first song, their tour manager Daniel Biechele set off four large fireworks called gerbs. 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. Jeff Derderian: They didn't even bring up the fax to him. Station nightclub fire scene, viewed from above. Warner lived next to The Station and had met the brothers. And I took a good look and I said, "Oh, st, I'm burned.". The fire started at the West Warwick club when a manager for the band Great White set off pyrotechnics for the band's show. into the main barroom. They promoted the event. Dance & Night Club. Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. We all make mistakes. Richard Feloni. We had a robot custom-built for us by International Robotronics in New York. That exit door would soon be engulfed in flames. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, hosted a band, which used unapproved pyrotechnics during the performance. It had a spaceship that flew into the room and deposited a robot on the dance floor. 150. stove pipe. Tracy King died saving many others the night of the fire. The most famous clubs in this era, 1980s-2000s, included Club Fac 51 Haidenda in Manchester, England (in a former warehouse that was redesigned by . People traveled from near and far to visit this unique club. At the time of the fire, he had just started a new job closer to home in Providence at the local CBS station. Phil Barr: I couldn't hear alarms. "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. Published Feb 25, 2016. For the rest of her life, she will bear the scars from that terrible night 20 years ago. More on the fire:The Station fire: 100 victims in photos. 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. Saran was one of the more than 200 who were seriously hurt in the fire. Out of the ashes of the Station fire, tougher building codes arose: R.I.'s fire safety rules changed from arcane and confusing to a modern code more easily understood. The white padding is soaked red. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. "We have 39 confirmed fatalities, and we are still in the process of searching the rubble. According to Lynch, under Rhode Island law, the fire marshal could not be criminally charged unless there was evidence of bad faith or malice.