Those Suing Over Nightclub Fire May Not Find Any Deep Pockets

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- As families of the dead and injured struggle with their grief after one of the country's deadliest fires, some are starting to look for compensation. Lawyers say it won't come easily.
    Rhode Island lawyers estimate at least $1 billion worth of lawsuit claims will be filed in the coming months. But they're not as confident that the pockets of those who may be responsible are deep enough to pay.
    "The reality is that, at the end of the day, there's going to be a lot of tears," said Ronald Resmini, a Providence lawyer representing two of the dozens of people injured when fire swept through The Station nightclub Feb. 20. "Probably more tears than money."
    Warwick attorney John Lynch, representing other survivors and families of some of the 97 people killed in the blaze, said it would take several months to get any civil cases ready.
    In the meantime, the state's criminal investigation is under way.
    No charges had been filed as of Saturday, but a grand jury is investigating the blaze that started moments after the '80s rock band Great White began playing. Pyrotechnics set soundproofing material surrounding the stage on fire, and the flames and smoke quickly spread. Fire officials said the building was engulfed within three minutes.
    "The most culpable people seem to be the owners of the bar and the band," said attorney Mark Decof, also representing victims. "But it would appear there is wholly inadequate coverage there. So you have to look elsewhere -- starting with the products involved, the people who supplied them, the people who prepared them and maintained them."
    Civil lawyers could go after the manufacturers of the pyrotechnics or the soundproofing material that it ignited. Concert promoters, even the architects of the building -- constructed in the early 1940s -- are potential defendants, Decof said.
    After a fire in 1977 swept through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Ky., killing 165 people, General Electric paid $10 million to settle claims that it made faulty wiring in the building, though it never admitted liability. Insurance and settlements with companies involved in the building's operation and construction paid out about $50 million.
    Attorneys for the Rhode Island club have said the owners were never told the band would be shooting off pyrotechnics; the band's attorneys have said the club gave them permission.
    Lawyers for several victims said they also would consider suing the town of West Warwick, where the club was located.
    They could make a case that fire officials did not properly inspect the club and that police failed to provide appropriate crowd control. However, getting money from the government could be difficult.
    West Warwick's insurance is covered by the Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust, a risk pool created by the state's municipalities.
    Tom Dwyer, president and executive director of the trust, said West Warwick's coverage allows for a maximum of $4 million to be paid in the case of a single incident. That $4 million would have to be split among all eligible claimants, he said.
    Under state law, towns are immune from lawsuits unless a lawyer can prove they are responsible for extraordinary wrongdoing.

Desert Moon
(Lardie, Niven, Kendall, Russell)

Let's shake this town baby
Come with me
I need a little lovin' company
C'mon now
I know where we can go
This is the time
T'stay out all night
I've gotta fire
Like a heavenly light
C'mon baby
Let's take a drive

C'mon baby
Let's do it right
Time to dance
In the magic light
Of the desert moon

Come on honey
Let's get it right
Make romance
In the magic light
Of the desert moon

Let's lay it down
Under a cactus tree
Give a little lovin' ecstacy

C'mon now
It's time to go
Little baby
You're a beautiful sight
I've got the love
And we have the night
C'mon baby
It's time to fly

CONFIRMED DEAD in hospital (2)

Linda Suffoletto, Glocester, R.I, at Massachusetts General Hospital

Kelly Viera, West Warwick, R.I, at Boston Shriners Hospital

CONFIRMED DEAD at the scene (96)

Louis S. Alves, 33, of Lincoln.

Kevin Anderson, 37, of Warwick.

Stacie Angers, 29, of Worcester, Mass.

Christopher Arruda, 30, of Coventry.

Eugene Avilez, 21, of Burlington, Mass.

Tina Ayer, 33, of Warwick.

Karla Bagtaz, 41, of Randolph, Mass.

Mary H. Baker, 32, of Fall River, Mass.

Thomas Barnett, 38, of West Greenwich.

Laureen Beauchaine, 35, of West Warwick.

Steven Thomas Blom, 38, of Cranston.

William Christopher Bonardi, 36, of Smithfield.

Kristine Carbone, 38, of Taunton, Mass.

Richard A. Cabral Jr., 37, of Attleboro, Mass.

William Cartwright, 42, of Pawtucket.

Edward B. Corbett III, 31, of West Warwick.

Michael Cordier, 31, of Westerly.

Alfred Crisostomi, 38, of Warwick.

Robert Croteau, 31, of Fall River, Mass.

Lisa D'Andrea, 42, of Barrington.

Matthew P. Darby, 36, of Coventry.

Dina Ann DeMaio, 30, of West Warwick.

Albert Anthony DiBonaventura, 18, of North Dighton, Mass.

Christina DiRienzo, 37, Plymouth, Mass.

Kevin J. Dunn, 37, of Attleboro, Mass.

Lori K. Durante, 40, of West Warwick.

Edward Ervanian, 29, of Cranston.

Thomas Fleming, 30, of Worcester, Mass.

Rachael K. Florio-DePietro , 31, of Coventry.

Mark A. Fontaine, 22, of Johnston.

Daniel Frederickson, 37, of Coventry.

Michael Fresolo, 32, of Worcester, Mass.

James Gahan, 21, of Falmouth, Mass.

Melvin Gerfin, 46, of Groton, Conn.

Laura Gillett, 32, of Pembroke, Mass.

Charline Elaine Gingras-Fick, 35, of Central Falls.

Michael James Gonsalves, 40, of Warwick.

James Gooden, 37, of Cranston.

Derek Gray, 22, of Dracut, Mass.

Skott Greene, 35, of Warwick.

Scott Griffith, 41, of West Warwick.

Bonnie L. Hamelin, 27, of Warwick.

Jude Henault, 37, of Lisbon, Conn.

Andrew Hoban, 22, of North Kingstown.

Abbie L. Hoisington, 28, of Cranston.

Michael Hoogasian, 31, of Cranston.

Sandy Hoogasian, 27, of Cranston.

Carlton "Bud" Howorth III, 39, of Norton, Mass.

Eric James Hyer, 22, of Scituate.

Derek Brian Johnson, 32, of West Warwick.

Lisa Kelly, 27, of Swansea, Mass.

Tracy F. King, 39, of Warwick.

Michael Joseph Kulz, 30, of Warwick.

Keith Lapierre, 29, of Worcester, Mass.

Dale Latulippe, 46, of Carver, Mass.

Stephen M. Libera, 21, of North Kingstown.

John M. Longiaru, 23, of Johnston.

Ty Longley, 31, of Northridge, Calif.

Andrea Mancini, 28, of Johnston.

Keith A. Mancini, 34, of Cranston.

Steven Mancini, 39, of Johnston.

Judith Manzo, 37, of North Providence.

Thomas Frank Marion Jr., 27, of Westport, Mass.

Jeffrey Martin, 33, of Melrose, Mass.

Tammy Mattera-Housa, 29, of Warwick.

Kristen McQuarrie, 37, of Ledyard, Conn.

Thomas Medeiros, 40, of Coventry.

Samuel Miceli, 37, of Lisbon, Conn.

Donna M. Mitchell, 29, of Fall River, Mass.

Leigh Ann Moreau, 21, of Providence.

Ryan M. Morin, 31, of Boston, Mass.

Jason Morton, 38, of West Greenwich.

Beth Mosczynski, 33, of Millbury, Mass.

Katherine O'Donnell, 26, of Seekonk, Mass.

Nicholas Philip O'Neill, 18, of Pawtucket.

Matthew James Pickett, 33, of Bellingham, Mass.

Carlos L. Pimentel Sr., 38, of West Warwick.

Christopher Prouty, 24, of Pawtucket.

Theresa Rakoski, 30, of Taunton, Mass.

Jeffrey Rader, 32, of Danville, Calif.

Robert L. Reisner III, 29, of Coventry.

Walter Rich, 40, of Attleboro, Mass.

Donald Roderiques, 46, of Mashpee, Mass.

Tracey Romanoff, 32, of Coventry.

Joseph Rossi, 35, of Pawtucket.

Bridget Sanetti, 25, of Coventry.

Rebecca Shaw, 24, of Warwick.

Dennis Smith, 36, of Pawtucket.

Victor Stark, 39, of West Yarmouth, Mass.

Benjamin Suffoletto, 43, of Glocester.

Shawn Sweet, 28, of Pembroke, Mass.

Jason Sylvester, 24, of Coventry.

Sarah Jane Telgarsky, 37, of Plainfield, Conn.

Kevin Washburn, 30, of Franklin, Mass.

Everett "Tommy" Woodmansee, 30, of Charlestown.

Robert Daniel Young, 29, of Taunton, Mass.

1. Exit Sign not properly lit.
2. Cheap Highly flamable packing material used in place of flame retardent
Sound Proofing.
3. Security telling customers they could not use a specific side exit to
leave because it was only for the band.
4. Regular over crowding of club.
5. Photos just released show the sound man next to a box of explosives after
he told people he wasn't aware that any pyrotechnics were being used.
6. Reports that Pyrotechnics were used many other times at the club. Photos
confirm this.

More addresses to know
Posted Sunday, March 2, 2003

Any memories (video, photos, etc) you'd like to share with Baby Longley can be sent to:

Baby Longley
P.O. Box 1247
Plainfield, IL 60544-1247

RI Relief Funds:

Station Fire Victims Fund
c/o Citizens Bank
56 Rolfe St.
Cranston, RI 02910

The Station Fire Victim Fund
Centreville Savings Bank
1218 Main St.
West Warwick, RI 02893

Office of Community Services
184 Broad St.
Providence, RI 02903
(Indicate West Warwick Fire Emergency Fund in check memo)

Catholic Charity Fund
80 St. Mary Drive
Cranston, RI 02920
(Indicate West Warwick Fire Emergency Fund in check memo)

Witness describes placement of fireworks just before blaze
Another man at The Station says Great White's tour manager cursed and exclaimed as flames began to spread: "I think I'm in big trouble."
02/27/2003
BY PAUL EDWARD PARKER, JENNIFER LEVITZ and LIZ ANDERSON Journal Staff Writers
The pyrotechnic device that ignited the deadly blaze at The Station nightclub was placed on the stage just minutes before the headline band, Great White, made its entrance, according to a member of one of the warm-up acts last Thursday night.
"I saw him jump down on his knees and hurry and get this stuff ready," Al Prudhomme, drummer for the local hard-rock band Fathead, said yesterday, adding that he did not recognize the man doing the work.
Great White's lead singer, Jack Russell, acknowledged on the night of the fire that the band had used the pyrotechnics. But, until Prudhomme spoke up, no one had said publicly when the device was placed on the stage.
Mario Giamei Jr., a Sutton, Mass., mortgage broker who worked occasionally at The Station as a bouncer, said yesterday that he did not see who set up the fireworks, but that he heard Great White's tour manager, Dan Biechele, express concern moments after the walls of the club burst into flames.
"Their guy, Dan, looked at me and said, 'I think I'm in big trouble. I [expletive] this one up,' " said Giamei.
Giamei was not working for the club Thursday night -- he was there as a fan.
Thomas G. Briody, a lawyer for Biechele, said, "I would urge the public to examine with great care the accuracy of any statement attributed to people in the frenzied moments after the fire started."
Those moments were captured in pictures recently posted on a French photographic Web site, www.gamma-presse.com. The photographer, Dan Davidson, could not be reached yesterday. A spokesman for Gamma said an undisclosed party had bought the rights to the pictures, which cannot be published by other outlets until Saturday.
THE MUSIC started last Thursday night at 8:30, when Fathead ran onto the stage through machine-generated fog. Next up was Trip, which played from 9:45 to 10:30.
When The Station's house lights came up, there was a flurry of activity on the stage, as the warm-up act cleared off and Great White set up for its 11 o'clock start.
Prudhomme's wife, Charlene, had arrived from her hairdressing job nearby, and the couple watched as the stage changed over.
Al Prudhomme did not recognize Great White's road crew. One man, who seemed to be in charge, had long stringy blond hair, and sunglasses on top of his head, said Prudhomme.
They brought out a cloth backdrop with Great White's logo. They plugged in the fog machine. They gave it a test.
Then, the Prudhommes noticed Great White's pyrotechnics. Prudhomme saw at least two hollow tubes, about 8 to 10 inches long, and 2 inches wide. Each had a clear bluish cable coming from it.
For some reason, Charlene noticed the cords. Watching her husband play in clubs for almost 17 years, she had seen other bands use pyrotechnics. But the cords attached to Great White's fireworks were beefier than those she had seen before. "It seemed like a lot more of a professional set of equipment than what I had seen," she said. "I thought they must have hired someone who knows what they are doing."
Al Prudhomme also noticed the pyrotechnics, but said he did not think anything of them; he thought they were part of a small stunt. "A lot of bands use . . . 'concussion bombs.' They make a real loud banging noise and just a flash of light."
The pyrotechnics man seemed in a hurry to finish his work. Prudhomme said he did not see the club's owner around as Great White set up the fireworks.
Mario Giamei was watching from the side as Great White's singer, Jack Russell, got ready to take the stage. It seemed to Giamei the heavy metal musician was waiting for something.
Then the music began, the pyrotechnics went off and Russell jumped out on stage.
Prudhomme was surprised. "This was just nonstop sparkler," he said. "I'm saying, my God, these sparks are going all over their instruments. Must be nice to get stuff for free, and not care about burn marks."
Prudhomme had expected just a short burst. "I was thinking, look how long this is going on. Usually, one, two, three, and then it's out. But this was going off for a good solid, maybe 10 seconds."
Giamei, standing near Prudhomme, craned his neck to see around a set of tall speakers. He said he noticed fire immediately.
THE GAMMA-PRESSE photos show flames beginning to spread on the wall behind the stage, with some people racing around and others standing still.
The Providence Journal yesterday showed the photos to Giamei and Paul Vanner, The Station's sound manager and stage coordinator. Prudhomme declined to look at the pictures.
Giamei and Vanner said the people in the picture include Giamei, with his back to the camera as he watches the activity on the stage; Biechele, who appears to be hurrying off the stage as flames grow in the background, and a club worker named Scott Vieira, whose fate in the fire could not be immediately determined yesterday.
The foreground of three of the pictures shows a cardboard box with a label similar to a warning for explosives. Nothing in the pictures confirms that the box contains explosives as indicated on the label.
In two of the pictures, Giamei is standing near the box, with his back turned. In a third, Vieira, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, appears to be walking right up to the box.
Giamei said yesterday that the police showed him the same photographs and questioned him about the box. He said he did not notice it the night of the fire.
Vanner said he had never seen the box until he saw the photographs yesterday. He said he is sure he would have noticed the box earlier in the evening if it had been there then because he had talked to Great White about some equipment cases it had left nearby, in the pathway to the stage door.
"I said, 'Dude, you've got to move this stuff. That's a fire exit.' If I had seen the box . . . . " His voiced trailed off into silence.
PRUDHOMME SAID he saw someone with Great White try to douse the fire with a bottle of Poland Spring water.
Giamei had thoughts of trying to smother the flames with his jacket, but realized the fire was spreading too quickly. He heard one of the club's bouncers say, "Get a fire extinguisher." He heard Biechele curse.
Prudhomme sensed danger right away. "It was just instinct, I knew something wasn't right." He knew his wife and the rest of Fathead were near the front door. When he looked, all he could see was a slow-moving wall of people headed that way. He and several others kicked open the stage door, then ran outside and around to the front of the club.
Giamei ran toward the front door first, but hit the same wall of people. He saw members of Great White leaving through the stage door and headed that way. The club's fire alarm was blaring. "You could feel the heat coming down on you, I just knew it wouldn't be good."
Giamei saw Biechele frozen in the doorway. He shoved him out, then followed. Giamei circled to the front of the building. "By that time, smoke was pouring out of it."
He went to a side door, where he saw the club's manager, Kevin Beese, who was trying to help people out of the inferno. "He tried to run back in but he couldn't; he got knocked back with smoke," said Giamei.
Biechele had a flashlight, which he handed to Beese, according to Giamei. Beese and Giamei shined the light into the side door and yelled to those inside.
Meanwhile, Prudhomme dashed up the concrete steps to the double doors at the front of the club. Patrons were already jammed up, trying to get out. He stood at the door, grabbing arms, pulling people out. The fifth or sixth arm he grabbed was his wife, Charlene's. He pulled her over to the ground, told her to stay there, then he ran back to the door to grab more people.
Tom Conte, Fathead's singer, made it out with his girlfriend, but guitar player Steven Mancini, his wife, Andrea Mancini, and bass player Keith Mancini never made it out.
PRUDHOMME does not know who is at fault. "Part of me doesn't even blame the band. It's the pyrotechnician. It's like lighting a candle under a curtain. So many deaths for such a stupid, stupid thing."
At some point in the chaos, Giamei asked club manager Beese whether he knew Great White planned to use pyrotechnics. "He said 'Nah,' I believe him. It was the heat of the moment, and there was no time for anybody to think, 'How am I going to cover my tracks?' "
Giamei now knows he lost at least five friends in the fire -- and probably more acquaintances.
He wonders whether he could have made a difference had he yelled to people trying to get out the front door to come to the other exit. But, he said, "the whole club just went up so fast."
Vanner already is hoping to land another job running the sound system in a nightclub. But other things will come first:
"My future plans are way too many funerals."

With reports from W. Zachary Malinowski

LINK

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