Scott James: When people arrive, they walk through this entrance and this kinda longish hallway. then as it heals, the scarring tightens up. For the Derderians, the "full story" begins with the issue of permission. That happened in 2002. Watch. 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. And he's like he don't know. That's all I can keep seeing in my head. if he had done that, then he would have obviously have said to us . DANIEL BIECHELE [at sentencing hearing in tears]: I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night. which was located in Glen Mills, PA in Delaware County from 1982 to 1994? October 25, 2021. But she refuses to live in the past. it became very, very hard to breathe. Super Highly Visible corner location, rare undeveloped find . Michael Derderian also spoke via phone to an investigator. Linda Saran: Yes. 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. And so, when the fire inspector came in and said that that door had to come down the door, the door did come down. Michael Derderian: That is correct. Scott James has written a book about the tragedy called "Trial by Fire.". This is a company that did little to educate their employees about the limits of polyurethane foam. The Station nightclub owners Michael, left, and Jeffrey Derderian, right, pleaded no contest to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter and agreed to a deal. 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. Patrick Lynch: Looking back on it I would say they ran it as a side business, an attempt to maybe make some extra money with the callous, utter disregard for those that work there and assemble there. One of them is never say die, never give up. "It's hard to describe the level of agony. In rural towns and villages, that individual may have another full-time job, or even be an unpaid volunteer. 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. Linda Saran still places much of it on the Derderian brothers. As a result, the pyrotechnics ignited the sound-proofing polyurethane lining the walls and ceiling of the club. Patrick Lynch: You're telling me it wasn't, and I don't know that it wasn't. It was a really remarkable thing. Absolutely not. 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. 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. Salman is expected back in court Wednesday. Phil Barr [teary-eyed]: Getting another opportunity to live my life came with enormous responsibility. Jim Axelrod: And that's when the despair sinks in. Jim Axelrod: I want to ask you about Phil Barr. Jim Axelrod: And then it just got engulfed in flames? Biechele and Michael Derderian were sentenced to four years in prison, though each was let out early. 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. 0:57. The Derderians bought the club as an investment. They should have blamed more. These are videos of prior performances taken inside the club. That is the furthest exit away from the stage But it's a relatively straight line. The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, hosted a band, which used unapproved pyrotechnics during the performance. he was very kind about it, but he said, "I don't ever see you competitively swimming again." Hundreds witness groundbreaking for Station fire memorial: Cradling fresh flowers in the frigid cold, several hundred people gathered at the site of The Station nightclub fire on the 10th-anniversary service that included a groundbreaking for a permanent memorial and remembrances for the 100 lives lost. Three days after the station fire, Jody King finally got the news that his brother Tracy's body had been found. Berlin. Initial reports say that a pyrotechnic flare was released by a Russian soldier whom had just returned from Ukraine. The night of November 28, 1942, promised all the glamour and glitz that made Boston's most famous night spot, The Cocoanut Grove, legendary. Jeff Derderian: Why is it OK that the fire marshal is allowed to miss something or make a mistake and what he did was just an oops, but what we did was criminal? "I literally baked alive," says Linda Barr. " Prime Development Corner. Michael Derderian: Jeffrey was responsible for all the marketing activities. Linda Saran and Phil Barr, badly injured, were transported to a local hospital. 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. Jeff Derderian: I don't know. When Laroque testified before the grand jury he claimed he never saw the foam. But never once do they say, "we screwed up." But he didn't know what. Published Feb 25, 2016. 81. Jeff Derderian: We feel a sense of guilt about what happened in the sense that you carry the guilt of knowing that these people aren't here anymore, and these people are hurt for the rest of their life. But their plans for the future would suddenly change. Jeff called his brother Michael who was in Florida. you could not see your hand in front of your face. Afterward, her uncle Al Salman defended her, saying she had no idea what that crazy was doing., Shes innocent (and a) simple person, he insisted. Like Barr, Linda Saran had also spent three weeks in a medically induced coma. "48 Hours" is not showing any of that footage. Phil Barr: I asked my pulmonologist, you know, "when can I get back in the pool?" Published February 20, 2023 Updated on February 20, 2023 at 9:51 am. He arrived early around 8:30 p.m. Phil Barr: There really weren't that many people around early in the night. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "Bar Rescue" host Jon Taffer watches a video feed of unimaginable horrors in a bar. Richard Feloni. Scott James: I decided I would start asking some questions. One near the bar. People come here to reflect. Many involve pyrotechnic failures. One victim died from stabbing during clashes. Former Pulsations Nightclub Parking Lot - 240 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills, PA. Jim Axelrod: The brothers say," wait a minute, we ordered sound foam. The brothers have since learned that the fire marshal should have tested the foam on the wall. In the 1980s, Mr. Altemose developed entertainment venues including Pulsations, a dinner theater and nightclub in Concord, and the Riverside Speakeasy, in Graterford. She and Matt knew they were expecting a girl and they had already chosen her name. The father of Jessica and Sarah as well as Melindas husband, Matt, died in The Station fire. Michael Derderian: I don't know about that. WEST WARWICK, R.I. . Pulsar would come out of a spaceship and dance with the crowd every night. The Derderian brothers were targets of criminal investigations and civil lawsuits. The brothers say there was evidence that the grand jury never heard. He was the most badly burned survivor of the 2003 Station nightclub fire. The Station fire:A Timeline of the tragedy, More:Should PTSD qualify for injured-on-duty status? He decorated his office with renderings of the suites and even . 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Anniversaries, he says, renew the ties and allow him to reflect and recount his version of events that fateful February 20th night. 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 . Everyone has a Pulsations story! The fire caused the deaths of 146 garment . And it was ugly. If you do a little research on Leon you'll find that he was a non-union builder in Philadelphia, which is a union town. Karma/Comeuppance, Liars/Scammers, Nightclub, Portugal, Teenagers, Underaged | Right | December 3, 2022. But does that mean it's not a crime? Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch opened an investigation and convened a grand jury to determine if anyone should face criminal charges. The FBI allowed the photos to be released after Mateens wife, Noor Salman, was arrested for obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting by providing material support to a terrorist organization a day earlier. They want to talk to you." I remember getting pushed from behind. Northeastern law professor and GBH legal analyst Daniel . Michael Derderian: Take this stuff down. 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. Everything went black': For reporters, tragedy, disaster and sorrow come with the territory. The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station . When King arrived, he saw the devastating scene. 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. Sadly, Pulsar the robot has not yet been utilized on the show. People traveled from near and far to visit this unique club. You should be proud." "48 Hours" has confirmed the fax wasnotpresented to the grand jury. Linda Saran was a regular at The Station. And I knew the window was to my left. these contracts are pretty specific. Melinda was eight months pregnant at the time. He don't know. ", "We are now at 65, and that may be higher ", Jeff Derderian: "Can you come in? ", Scott James: They had their moments. He was this anti-establishment guy and he wanted to build the greatest nightclub in the world, and I believe we did it. Station Fire Memorial Foundation rejects donation from Great White singer: Out of the ashes of the Station fire, tougher building codes arose. Tracy King liked to entertain people with his unique talent. Linda Saran: That's when you make a decision. The fire was now out of control; it had spread along the foam that lined the walls and ceiling intended to dampen sound. As it turns out, the foam they used was highly flammable. "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. The spaceship was 27 feet in diameter, pulled about 600 amps and had 70 lighting systems on it. It was the closest to a religious experience that I've seen without it being religious. Building was of mixed-use. I couldn't understand him or understand the magnitude of what was going on there. 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. So, to the people who think we don't own it I'm telling you, we DO own it ok? A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. The Foam.". California residents do not sell my data request. When it was announced that the 1980s rock act Great White would be headlining an evening of retro rock music at The Station, fans turned out in force. It featured 11 bars, 10 levels, and 6,000 lights. 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 . Survivors, families, friends, firefighters, doctors and nurses were left to carry the physical and emotional scars of that night. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. Firefighter and RI state Rep. talks trauma. He had an unlikely friend rooting for him. Before being built out into a nightclub, the building that housed Pulsations was formerly home to a family-style steakhouse, as well as an upscale supper club. Since I had been there earlier in the night, I knew that there was at least an exit in the back barroom. A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub at 211 Cowesett Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island. Two decades after 100 people . It was completely preventable. We're running out of time." The ultimate nightclub experience.It even included a party robot!Pulsations was the brainc. Brothers Michael and Jeffery Derderian, who owned The Station nightclub, for using highly flammable polyurethane foam as soundproofing on the walls of the club and for letting 462 people into a building, bringing it over capacity. The brother's plea deal stated only one of them would go to prison. 1947. Jim Axelrod: Did the contract specify the use of pyrotechnics? there are other people who should be responsible. 25 seconds: The flames start spreading to the ceiling. 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. MICHAEL DERDERIAN [at sentencing hearing]: There is so much pain and heartache that happened on our doorstep. PATRICK LYNCH [news interview]: Certainly, there are people we are looking at, ultimately, we may target. Like, "get away from the building." The girl who won received the contract with the doctor and had to give us before-and-after brassieres. They go for 15 seconds and they go 15 feet into the air. Biechele pleaded guilty to 100 counts of misdemeanor manslaughter, and Michael and Jeff Derderian pleaded no contest. Jun 14, 2018 - 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. Scott James: And the nightclub operator there was so angry when he saw what had happened in Rhode Island, he went public, and he even made public the contract that he had with Great White that showed there was no evidence of fireworks that were going to be part of the show. 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