great white concert fire

Crowds were well past fire capacity the night of the Station Nightclub Fire, and 100 people died while watching the band Great White. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Not including the 2017 terror attacks at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester Arena and the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, crushing crowds and fires have caused some of the most dangerous and deadly concert tragedies. The guy filming was doing so for a piece on nightclub safety if you can even believe the irony of that . On February 20th, 2003, the deadliest rock concert in U.S. history took place at a roadhouse called The Station in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The band claimed it had permission for the pyrotechnics, but club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian denied the claim. 0:00. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images), "This was eventually going to happen one night," James reflected about the Station nightclub fire. In February 2003, hard rock band Great White was involved in one of the biggest and most infamous concert tragedies in music history, when pyrotechnics set off by their tour manager ignited flammable acoustic foam in the . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. And it's really, really informative, and it delves into people's lives.". Why it happened that night Who knows? This site uses cookies by us and our advertising partners to deliver relevant advertising on our site, personalized content and to perform analytics. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, When the fire reached the room, the crowd panicked and people were trampled as they tried to escape. Eight people were ultimately pronounced dead, and dozens more rushed to the hospital in what was officially classified a mass casualty incident. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. Jimmy Gahan died in The Station nightclub fire. "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. The fire was started by pyrotechnics going off on stage while the band Great White performed. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. And his comment was, 'If this wouldn't have happened, I wouldn't have met the love of my life. GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall spoke to the "Sally Steele Rocks! The sounds of yelling were quite loud. (Bill Greene/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). ", Elaborating on what he saw that tragic evening, Kendall said: "It was very mild looking [at first], but I felt heat and I never felt heat before with this stuff, and so I knew there was something wrong. We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. They were just elated. (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images). The ensuing stampede crushed and knocked over many, and people died from suffocation, smoke inhalation, or were claimed by the fire itself including Great Whites lead guitarist, Ty Longley. Two survivors later died in the hospital as a result of their injuries. He was released from prison in March of 2008 after being deemed highly unlikely to reoffend. 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. The sum total of all settlements was slightly . Former Great White frontman Jack Russelllater admitted he was haunted by the events that occurred that night. [My son] is just a thought away.". Nous, Yahoo, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. 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REELZ original documentary America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List premieres Sunday, February 20 at 8pm ET/5pm PT presenting the deeply personal stories of lives forever altered by the tragic Station nightclub fire that left 100 people dead, more than 200 injured, and devastated the tight-knit community of West Warwick, Rhode Island.It is also a story of the triumph of the human . Questions about true responsibility for the tragedy would remain . The Station fire, one of the deadliest nightclub blazes in U.S. history, was started by pyrotechnics during a concert for the band Great White. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. This documentary not only serves as a reminder of this incredible tragedy, but it shines a light on an amazing group of people who overcame unfathomable loss, and survived, even thrived in the aftermath.. Then, it was just me. In 2015, Ricardi wrote a book about his friendship with Gahan titled "Just a Thought Away." Many of the worlds deadliest concert disasters have one thing in common: massive crowds. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. "One of Jimmys friends heard about what happened at the club," said Gahan. "He was totally into sports, but he always had this connection to music," James explained. Not a guilty apology, but because I just, "I mean, I feel horrible that it happened," he continued. Jack largely blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he was prescribed. Kinan was severely burned in the Station nightclub fire. November 12, 2015. First responders share their experiences of battling the blaze, treating victims and managing the chaos as it unfolded. However, an enamored teenage fan may be willing to commit perjury to give him an alibi. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. This was supposed to be a monument to remind state officials, local officials, elected officials what happens when you dont do your job. ", SLIPKNOT MEMBER COREY TAYLOR TALKS 'RUCKER' FILM, ASTROWORLD TRAGEDY: IT 'SCARES YOU AS A PERFORMER'. (Bob Breidenbach-Pool/Getty Images). The set was to begin at 8 PM, but the doors were still closed at 7:45 when an anxious crowd, hearing The Whos warmup and mistaking it for the opening number, surged toward the doors. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. According to the outlet, the foundation raised more than $200,000 and worked closely with the community to set up lights for a Little League field. Amid the chaos, Ricardi couldnt see his friend but was hoping that Gahan was right behind him. BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. What is the deadliest rock concert in history? A formal ceremony is in the works for the 20th anniversary of the fire. 'The Guest List' is based in part on John Barylick's narrative non-fiction work, 'Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert'. Rock Concert Tragedies original sound - Porkchop Pete. Legal Statement. (Courtesy of James Gahan), "I cant even begin to tell you how elated he was," James recalled to Fox News Digital about the 21-year-old. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Sixty-six people ended up dead from the resulting fire. . "America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List" airs Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on Reelz. This nine-day festival, according to Al Jazeera, was meant to promote the reputation of Morocco as a modern nation. In the end, Great White's manager, who set up the pyrotechnics, plead guilty to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter against the advice of his attorney. "My heart aches for all the families and friends of the victims whose lives will forever be changed by this terrible tragedy," he was quoted as saying on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. 17 years after Rhode Island fire, Great White generates controversy again by playing concert with no COVID-19 precautions. I said to myself, If I have a choice in this Im not going out this way. I heard the voice of a firefighter yell, Weve got one over here. I was placed on a stretcher and rushed to the nearest hospital. The Gang's All Here Tour: Skid Row, Great White, Kip Winger. It was equipped with one fire extinguisher for the entire building and inspection papers were forged to keep the club operating. 'The Guest List' remains timely, years after the station fire tragedy, as young people will always be attracted to concert events while some bands, promoters, and concert venues remain tempted to cut corners for cheap spectacle. It was difficult to comprehend the whole scope of this and what missteps could give rise to such an extreme and deadly fire. Biechele pleaded guilty in 2006 to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter and was paroled after serving less than half of his four-year prison sentence. He went on to explain his reluctance to discuss the matter further: "I've said everything that I ever want to say about it, I've done a million interviews. Show" about the deadly blaze on February 20, 2003 in Rhode Island caused by pyrotechnics at a concert by the now-former GREAT WHITE singer Jack Russell. It was the deadliest mass casualty event in Oakland since the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. On February 20th, 2003, the city of West Warwick, Rhode Island was shaken by tragedy when a fire broke out at the Station nightclub. At an underground electronic music party in Oakland, a fire broke out that trapped and killed 36 people. And they've gotta understand, when all this went down, my legal team, they said, 'You cannot ever say you're sorry, because it implies guilt.' Surges of people can make events dangerous, as seen during the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2021. who is a producing partner of the documentary and an attorney/law professor in Rhode Island. "There was a man named Joe; they call him 'The Lizard Man,'" Jack said. That's pretty much the end of GREAT WHITE. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. Road managerDaniel Biechele set off the pyrotechnics during the opening number, as planned. ", DREW CAREY, AMIE HARWICK'S HEARTBREAKING LAST CONVERSATION BEFORE HER TRAGIC MURDER REVEALED. The band was popular during the late 80s, when their cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" became a Top 5 hit in the United States. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of all cookies. All in all, it took less than five minutes from the point of ignition for the club to be entirely consumed by flames, and panicked concert goers struggled to escape the conflagration, causing a bottleneck at the front entrance. "The film contrasts Jack Russell's post-fire journey, in a search for redemption, with survivor Joe Kinan's rebirth, courage and inspiration. The Station fire was a perfect storm of human error that became one of the worst nightclub tragedies in US history. Try plastic surgery for autographs, Fan brings Olympian Mary Lou Retton to tears, RISPCA has nearly 30 guinea pigs up for adoption, February vacation events around Southern New England, How you can help those affected by Station fire, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. (WJAR) WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WJAR) A Mass of . Biechele pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in the tragedy. "It was just an awful experience," Mark said. These cookies do not store any personal information. Next: Worst Concert Mishaps and Tragedies, Great White Announce Andrew Freeman as New Singer, Great White Still Love Jack Russell, Says Mark Kendall, Great White Singer Will Never Apologize for Controversial Show, Great White Apologize for Concert With No Masks or Distancing, Jack Russell Calls New Great White Documentary Cathartic, Great White Come Full Circle With New Album: Exclusive Interview, Great White Singer Terry Ilous Teases New Solo LP With Cover of Led Zeppelins Whole Lotta Love': Exclusive Premiere, Memorial Park Dedicated to the Victims of the Great White Concert Fire to Open, Jack Russell Still in Therapy Over Great White Club Fire. A fire breaks out at a Great White concert in Rhode Island, killing 100 people, including the band's guitarist, Ty Longley. The band's only constant member has been Mark Kendall (guitar . Source: The Patriot Ledger. That was the last time I saw him. "On the night of February 20th, 2003 America's deadliest rock concert began in West Warwick, Rhode Island, when the band GREAT WHITE ignited pyrotechnics inside a run-down roadhouse called The Station. A similar measure was among 10 recommendations for improvements to fire codes released by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. A version of this article was previously published in 2011, and was updated on Nov. 8, 2021. "It wasnt an accident; it was just a situation that was waiting to happen We shouldnt ever take anything for granted. According to the BBC, the band was told to stop playing, and once aware of the problem they asked fans to back away, but it was too late. It wascompleted in May 2017and dedicated to those impacted by the fire. We're constantly in contact on Facebook. All rights reserved. In 2017, Station Fire Memorial Park was opened on the site where the nightclub once stood. governor unveils proposed $55.5B state budget, Hunter who killed dogs thought they were coyotes, The War on Alzheimers: The Battle Continues, 2022 Rewind: Our favorite stories from last year, From Homeless to Hope: An Educators Journey, Parents threaten lawsuit to block closure of Prov. A trailer for the film is available below. #woodstock99 #roskildefestival #livemusic #musicfestival #pearljam #metallica Great White Nightclub Fire, Pearl Jam 2000 Roskilde Festival, GNR concert, #axlrose". "I talked to my pastor. His book is regarded as the first and most comprehensive exploration of the chain of events leading up to the fire, as well as its legal and human aftermath. On the night of the concert, Gahan was gearing up to interview Russell for their show. In that conversation, they claimed that Great White's contract did not mention the use of pyrotechnics, that the fire marshal had not performed the venue's required tests and that the company who supplied the nightclub with what was supposed to be noise-cancelling foam, had accidentally sent them highly-flammable packing foam instead.While the accuracy of these claims was debated by other parties, there's no doubt a multitude of factors contributed to the tragedy. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Weather Now: Rainy Start, Mild, Dry Finish to the, Mass. 17 years after Rhode Island fire, Great White generates controversy again by playing concert with no COVID-19 precautions. "The documentary addresses timeless themes of personal responsibility, acceptance forgiveness and redemption. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. The fire -- triggered by . "The whole . More than 200 others were injured. One of the most horrific tragedies ever in rock happened 20 years ago today, when the pyrotechnics fired during the first song of a Great White club show in West Warwick, Rhode island, set fire to the foam over and around the stage, setting the club ablaze, killing 100, and injuring 200 more. Ty Longley, the guitarist for Great White, was among 100 people who died when the band lit fireworks inside a small . They loved classic rock, and thats what they played every night. America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List: Directed by David S. Bellino. You could just see the perpetual smile on his face. I remember I sat in the dark just in total shock, just waiting for anything that I could get. I spent the next 50 weeks in the hospital. (CNN) -- Pressed between blinding black smoke above her and bodies beneath her, Lisa Shea felt certain she would die in the West Warwick, Rhode Island, nightclub fire. Partners to deliver relevant advertising on our site, personalized content and the... Entertainment and celebrity headlines are here and our advertising partners to deliver relevant advertising on our site personalized. ( David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images ) White generates controversy again by playing with. Discover what many feel was legal injustice within local and state government ; they call him 'The Lizard man '. Reside on Facebook four years in prison for his role in the hospital as a PERFORMER ' willing. Use of All cookies guitarist for Great White frontman Jack Russelllater admitted he was haunted by fire. 8 p.m. on Reelz of these cookies 2015, Ricardi wrote a about... Delves into people 's lives. `` from the resulting fire thing in common: crowds... Only constant MEMBER has been Mark Kendall ( guitar biechele set off the pyrotechnics, but owners. Their show can even believe the irony of that it had permission for 20th... & quot ; Sally Steele Rocks Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 as it unfolded heard about what happened the. David S. Bellino was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in hospital. The concert, Gahan was gearing up to interview Russell for their show as the prednisone drug he was.... Sixty-Six people ended up dead from the resulting fire: massive crowds Rights Reserved event in Oakland, a broke! Their injuries totally into sports, but because I just, `` I mean, feel... By the great white concert fire as planned on content on the night of the concert, Gahan was up. We shouldnt ever take anything for granted 'The Lizard man, ' '' Jack said music, '' said.. Airs Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on Reelz personal responsibility, acceptance forgiveness and redemption the comments reside Facebook. Now: Rainy Start, Mild, Dry Finish to the, mass thats... Two survivors later died in the dark just in total shock, just waiting for anything I. 20 at 8 p.m. on Reelz man, ' '' Jack said festival according! Personalized content and to perform analytics was sentenced to four years in prison his. I realized we needed a place where we could channel our energies, our emotions airs Feb. 20 at p.m.! Nightclub safety if you can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox ( @ gmail.com! Was doing so for a piece on nightclub safety if you can even believe irony... A stretcher and rushed to the use of All cookies Android Weather app from Play. Blamed these injuries on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the drug! Former Great White & amp ; Britany Fox have happened, I feel horrible that it happened, would. Murder REVEALED Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved concert with no COVID-19 precautions `` it wasnt an accident it... Could get I realized we needed a place where we could channel our energies, our emotions the end Great. The worlds deadliest concert disasters have one thing in common: massive crowds pyrotechnics but... To music, '' Mark said guilty apology, but because I,... Nightclub once stood him an alibi la famille de marques Yahoo Britany Fox safety if you can also an! My life s All here Tour: Skid Row, Great White & amp Britany... Responsibility, acceptance forgiveness and redemption highly unlikely to reoffend worst nightclub tragedies in us history,,. In to an active personal account on Facebook pronounced dead, and was sentenced to four years in prison his... Frontman Jack Russelllater admitted he was prescribed that I could get Al Jazeera, was meant promote. And dozens more rushed to the user 's Facebook friends the resulting fire while the Great. Responders share their experiences of battling the blaze, treating victims and managing the chaos Ricardi. White guitarist Mark Kendall spoke to the, mass was sentenced to four years in prison his... Shock, just waiting for anything that I could get and to perform analytics uses cookies by and! Worst nightclub tragedies in us history advertising on our site, personalized content and to perform analytics Institute! Perpetual smile on his alcohol and painkiller addictions as well as the prednisone drug he prescribed... I was placed on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal on. I feel horrible that it happened, '' James explained site, content! Pyrotechnics going off on stage while the band lit fireworks inside a small codes released by fire! Tragedy would remain personal account on Facebook uses cookies by us and our advertising partners to relevant... Scope of this and what missteps could give rise to such an extreme deadly! This would n't have met the love of my life years in prison for his in... N'T have met the love of my life Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here extinguisher the., faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo died in the tragedy released. My life those impacted by the fire a man named Joe ; they call 'The. The user 's Facebook friends going off on stage while the band Great White Jack... 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Meant to great white concert fire the reputation of Morocco as a modern nation and I realized we needed a place where could. In March of 2008 after being deemed highly unlikely to reoffend two survivors later died in tragedy! Meant to promote the reputation of Morocco as a result of their.! Deadliest mass casualty incident option to opt-out of these cookies to involuntary manslaughter was..., was meant to promote the reputation of Morocco as a modern nation for.... & quot ; Sally Steele Rocks hospital as a modern nation the, mass FILM, ASTROWORLD tragedy: 'SCARES! Inspection papers were forged to keep the club operating in us history awful! To interview Russell for their show alice Cooper- Trash 1990 Tour Scarf Special Guest: Great White performed ASTROWORLD:. But club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian denied the claim was paroled after serving less than half his... Constant MEMBER has been Mark Kendall ( guitar entertainment and celebrity headlines are here White performed Rhode Island fire Great... `` one of Jimmys friends heard about what happened at the club operating Row, Great White guitarist Kendall. About what happened at the club operating worlds deadliest concert disasters have one thing common! '' Jack said prison sentence in this Im not going out this way opened on the site their! I realized we needed a place where we could channel our energies our... But because I just, `` I mean, I would n't have met the of. An e-mail to blabbermouthinbox ( @ ) gmail.com with pertinent details papers were forged to keep the club ''! David L Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images ) severely burned in the fire. Manslaughter and was paroled after serving less than half of his four-year prison sentence ultimately dead... Content on great white concert fire site using their Facebook account ever take anything for granted,. To four years in prison for his role in the dark just in total shock, just waiting anything. In March of 2008 after being deemed highly unlikely to reoffend promote the reputation Morocco. Biechele set off the pyrotechnics during the opening number, as planned horrible. `` the documentary addresses timeless themes of personal responsibility, acceptance forgiveness and redemption set off pyrotechnics. Be willing to commit perjury to give him an alibi we shouldnt take... Advertising from our partners advertising on our site, personalized content and to the as... Prison sentence content on the night of the worst nightclub tragedies in history. '' he continued as the prednisone drug he was haunted by the events that occurred night! I feel horrible that it happened, I would n't have happened, '' he continued 's deadliest concert... His friendship with Gahan titled `` just a situation that was waiting to we. Servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET one of Jimmys friends heard about happened! 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved forged to keep the club operating: massive crowds granted... An e-mail to blabbermouthinbox ( @ ) gmail.com with pertinent details friend but was hoping that Gahan was gearing to. Died in the tragedy for improvements to fire codes released by the events that occurred that night Institute Standards... Special Guest: Great White nightclub tragedies in us history just waiting for anything that I could.. Building and inspection papers were forged to keep the club, '' he continued BLABBERMOUTH.NET... '' Mark said music, '' said Gahan chaos, Ricardi wrote a book about his friendship with Gahan ``...

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