Do not know which member it was but they said one of the Band members from Great White was missing or unaccounted for as well. From the video the ceiling did look pretty low, Lots of lives lost for lack of safety checks.
Again, I'm hoping DBC wasn't a Great White fan. Please tell me he was at home drooling over Lisa Malosky pictures.
CNN just reported that the Great White played at a different club last week and also illegally used pyrotechnics. Not a one time event.
I can't believe there aren't more posts on this. http://www.metal-sludge.com/GreatWhiteFire.htm Last Updated: 2/22/03 6:00 AM EST WEST WARWICK, Rhode Island (CNN) -- Seven of the 96 victims of a deadly nightclub fire have been identified, Gov. Don Carcieri said Friday night, as five crews of forensic pathologists made their way to the state to help in the identification effort. "We're going to go 24 hours around the clock to see if we can get these bodies identified and give the families a sense of closure," the governor said. In an earlier news conference, Carcieri said he feared the death toll from Thursday's blaze would rise due to the number of victims who are critically injured. At least 187 people were treated at area hospitals, Carcieri said. Eighty-one people were admitted to local hospitals and 10 of those were transferred to Boston-area burn centers. Twenty-five of the 71 still in Rhode Island facilities are in critical condition, he said. West Warwick Fire Chief Charlie Hall said five firefighters were also treated for minor injuries. As authorities gathered family members in a hotel near the site of The Station concert club, the owners of the club and the band whose pyrotechnics ignited the blaze gave opposing stories about whether or not the group had permission to use the flaming devices. Hall said the fast-moving fire, which started around 11 p.m., engulfed the wooden structure in less than three minutes. The governor said most of the estimated 360 people inside tried to get out the way they came in -- the front door. "It was obviously a situation where if you didn't get out fast you didn't make it," Carcieri said. Hall confirmed that most of the victims were found crowded together at the front door, despite the fact that there were three other functioning exits. Some of those victims died from smoke inhalation and others were trampled, he said. There were also groups of people found in the back bar area and the rest rooms, Hall added. He said the other three exits had battery-powered lights indicating their presence, but people couldn't see them. "The reason for the total darkness was the density and the intensity of the smoke that was produced by the burning materials ... the panel, the soundproofing, suspended ceiling and so forth," the fire chief said. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the state fire marshal's office combed through the charred rubble of club, where the 80's rock band Great White had just started their show around 11 p.m. when the fire broke out. One of the band's guitarists, Ty Longley, was among the missing in the fire's aftermath. It was the second fatal incident at a U.S. club in recent days. Monday, 21 people died and more than 50 were injured in a nightclub stampede in Chicago, Illinois, that apparently began when a security guard used pepper spray to break up a fight. A crew from Providence television station and CNN affiliate WPRI was in The Station Thursday night covering local perspective on the deadly nightclub stampede in Chicago. Tape shot by WPRI cameraman Brian Butler showed the band, known for its hit song "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," performing as on-stage fireworks went off in the background. As the crowd cheered, the fire quickly spread onto the ceiling. The video shows the confusion of fans, as some headed for the door and others stayed to watch what they thought was part of the show. "The whole place got tons of black smoke. We were breathing black smoke," clubgoer Lisa Shea told CNN on Friday morning. "I got knocked on the ground. People were standing on my back, my head. I was holding my head, and I said, 'I'm going to die here.' All I could think about was my mother, and I said, 'I got to get up. I got to get up.'" (Survivors' stories) The video showed piles of people lying on top of each other, trying to push their way out of the club. One sobbing survivor said she owed her life to people who tried to help. "There were two girls standing at the railing, and they tried pulling me and they couldn't get me," survivor Erin Pucino said. "Then there was a man standing in front of me, and he started pulling, and he got me out. He pulled me out of the pile." "There have been groups that were found that obviously were trampled," Carcieri said. "There are others that were found that were obviously overcome with smoke. And others that the building collapsed on." Friday saw a day-long exchange of charges from the club owners and the band about whether or not the group had permission to use pyrotechnic devices during their show. Attorney Kathleen Hagerty, representing club owners Michael and Jeffrey Derderian, said the brothers were not aware the devices were a part of the show. "At no time did either owner have prior knowledge that pyrotechnics were going to be used by the band Great White," Hagerty said in a written statement. "No permission was ever requested by the band or its agents to use pyrotechnics at The Station, and no permission was ever given." Earlier, the club's stage technician also said he was not aware of Great White's plans, but the band's lead singer said the group would not have lit the indoor fireworks without the club's permission. "Obviously there was some sort of miscommunication," Jack Russell told CNN. "(The pyrotechnics) are not something we do at every gig. Our tour manager set that up with the club." Hall said the band or the club would have had to get a permit and a license from the state fire marshal and the local fire department to use such devices. There was no indication anyone had applied for such permission. He said the club, which was constructed in the late 1950s, was not required to be fitted with sprinklers because of its age, but it did have a fire alarm -- which went off -- and the required number of fire extinguishers and battery-powered exit lights. State fire marshal Jesse Owens said a licensed pyrotechnician must apply for a permit to use fireworks. He said he didn't know if anyone associated with the club had the required license or permit. West Warwick Police Chief Peter Rousseau said the club had not applied for the required permit, which is handled locally, and club stage technician Paul Vanner said no one was on stage during the show to supervise. Operators of two other clubs where Great White played recently told CNN the band used pyrotechnics without permission. Domenic Santana, owner of the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J., said it happened there February 14, and Tim Bryant, manager of a facility in Pinellas Park, Florida, said it happened there February 7. Bryant said the band ignited "fountain pyros," or streams of flame and sparks that shot up from the stage, for about 15 minutes. "They shot off the pyrotechnics without our knowledge," he said. "The crowd loved it but we were a little freaked out." But Russell insisted the band would not use the indoor fireworks if a club said no. "I don't know what to say," he said Friday morning. "I would rather be in there myself than have people dead. These are our fans and we love them. I'm in shock. Total shock." MelodicRock.com has reported: I have just had first word from Paul Woolnough, band manager and president of Knight Records. Paul writes: "We still do not have all the facts yet and Ty Longley, the guitarist is still missing at this time. This was a horrible tragedy and our thoughts go out to everybody. When we get more information then I will forward it to you. Mark and the rest of the band all got out OK and made it to the bus. They are trying to find Ty. Please ask your readers to pray for the victims and people that are missing at this time. Thanks, Paul" CNN actually showed footage from inside the club as it happened. The local news crew were doing a story at the time and filmed it as it went down. Originally it was reported that Mark Kendall was missing, but now it appears to be Ty Longley. MSNBC reports: "Ty Longley, one of the guitarists for Great White, was not seen leaving the building and was feared dead or injured, Manic Music Management Inc., the California-based company that manages the group, told NBC News." Paul Vanner, the stage technican, said that Great White used pyro that was way more powerful than the club could handle and he had no idea that they were going to use pyro. He said after the intro tape stopped, the pyro went off and he was totally shocked cause he had no idea it was going to happen. It was on for too long and everything caught on fire. Still video frame of Great White on stage as the pyro goes off behind them. This is the 3rd incident to happen to a bar within the week. Not only did 21 people die in Chicago a week ago in that bar stampede, but last Monday in Minneapolis there was also another bar fire due to pyro, but nobody was injured. Our thoughts go out to the victims of this horrible tragedy. The last thing you should worry about when you go to a rock concert is getting hurt or killed. Everybody is there to have a good time and nobody wants to see something like this happen. We are deeply sadden by this tragic event. Metal Sludge
http://www.metal-sludge.com/GWGeorgeEmail.htm A SLUDGEAHOLIC'S FIRST HAND ACCOUNT AT THE GREAT WHITE SHOW This email was just sent into us by Sludgeaholic George Dionne. It's a chilling account of what he experienced at the Great White show last night. My name is George Dionne. I was at the Great White show on February 20th at The Station in Rhode Island. I would like to share with you my personal account of what can only be described as a tragedy. I warn you that my descriptions may be upsetting, but it affected me immensely. I was standing approximately 5 rows back from the front of the stage. If you've seen the video footage, I was one step behind the camera man as the tape begins. The band took the stage around 11PM. A small fireworks display ignited. It was a fan-like display. It lasted about 10-15 seconds. When it died down I could see that the back wall had started to catch fire. The walls that surround the stage area were covered with a foam, egg-crate, sound-proofing material. At the site of the first flame I knew something was wrong. I made my way towards the only exit I knew of, the front door. The exit was approximately 500-700 ft. away from my position. I could hear people laughing and cheering at the flames, I assumed they thought it was part of the show. I was yelling at people to get out the door as I made my way out of the club. I looked over my shoulder and saw that the flames had shot up the sides of the walls and was now engulfing the ceiling. It was spreading FAST! At first the crowd was calm, but as the flames spread, I found the space around me shrinking. People were now panicking and rushing for the front door. The club was filling up with toxic smoke as I cut a sharp left to get out the door. I could not see anything at this point. I began choking on the smoke. I could not see the exit, but I knew it was in front of me. The flood of people finally pushed me through the door. I made my way to the parking lot. I looked back and saw the stage section of the club engulfed with flames. The other half of the club was filled with black smoke. I could hear people screaming and windows breaking. I saw people breaking the windows and diving out. I returned to the building to help get the people out. When I returned to the front door, I could not believe what I was looking at. There were 35 or so people stuck in the door way. They were stacked in rows on top of each other, at least 7 rows high. Black smoke was pouring out above them. You could see that there were people behind them as well. A small group of people were pulling at the people in the pile to try and move them. I jumped up on the ramp and grabbed an arm. I pulled and pulled with all my strength just to try and move them. There were others helping me, but we could not move anyone. The smoke was getting really think and starting to choke me. I continued to pull. The smoke was just too much for me, I had to let go of the arm. It was the toughest decision I had to make and I am still trying to cope with it. I stepped away from the building as I watched the smoke start to cover my view. It was at this point I dropped to my knees and prayed. I not as religious as I could be, but I needed to do it. I thanked my God for saving me. I prayed for the people still trapped inside. As I got up to leave, I saw the most horrifying image. The flames had made there way to the door way. The people on the top of the pile were on fire. There was nothing anyone could do for them. I watched as the fire grew around these poor, helpless people. I broke down right there. I could see them suffering and there was nothing I could do. I left the club as the Fire Department arrived. I did not want to get in their way. I drove down the street, but had to pull over, because I was so distraught. I called my wife and told her how much I loved her. I called everyone that I love and told them that I loved them. I spent the whole night thinking about what had happened. I did not sleep. Everytime I thought about it, I cried. I shook all night. I still shake a little as I type this. It upsets me everytime I repeat my story. I regret so much that I could not help more. However, I am so glad to be alive. I know it people say it all the time, but I ask that you remind your loved ones how much you love them. You really don't know if it will be the last time you see them. I feel blessed that I have a loving family and dear friends. I do not blame Great White or The Station for what happened, it was just a tragic accident. I can only image the grief and suffering that these people are going through. My prayers are with the injured. My prayers are with the families of those who did not make it. I am comforted in knowing that the deceased are in a better place. George Dionne
Last I heard death toll was 96, fourth worst accident in RI history. That's several hundred years ladies and gentleman.
Not to be morbid, but the death toll this afternoon was raised to 97 as yet another body was found. They are still saying that some of the critically injured may not survive.
Man used fire to become the dominant species on the planet. We used it to hunt, eat, and shelter us. Every other animal fears it. Yet we remain unafraid of it. In three minutes it took nearly one hundred lives. Fire is still one of the most powerful and destructive forces the world has ever known.
DBC has logged on today - in fact he's on now. Or someone logged in as him anyhow. Very tragic and hard to believe how fast it killed those people. My heart goes out to the injured and killed and the families affected. Very, very sad.
