Nightclub Did Not Carry Workers' Comp. Insurance (Rhode Island fire story)

Channel 10 Providence ^ | March 5, 2003

[Shermy]

The owners of The Station nightclub in West Warwick did not carry workers' compensation insurance as required by state law, News Channel 10 reported Wednesday.

Nearly 100 people were killed when fire destroyed the club the night of Feb. 20. News Channel 10 reported club co-owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian could face civil penalties as high as $1 million for failing to have the insurance.

Workers' compensation is required of any business in Rhode Island that has one or more employees, regardless of whether they are full or part time.

When a worker is hurt on the job, workers' compensation pays for approximately two-thirds of an employee's lost wages, all associated medical bills and money to help cope with any permanent disability like the loss of a limb or physical scarring.

If a worker is killed on the job, workers' compensation covers burial costs. If that worker has children, a benefit is paid to his or her dependents.

The state said Michael Derderian failed to contact the Division of Workers' Compensation by a Wednesday deadline. The agency has issued a complaint asking for an immediate response.

Officials said a hearing date will be set within the next few days.

[Trust but Verify]

Were any of his employees hurt or killed in the fire?

[Shermy]

Good question. I don't know. I checked some victim lists - don't state employment places.

[Poohbah]

The more you look at this nightclub, the more you conclude that it was a disaster waiting to happen.

[deJaz]

From what I heard on the reports one female bartender had perished in the blaze.How sad

[Trust but Verify]

If true, another reason to throw the book at the bar owners. Jeesh, could they have been any more negligent in their role as owner, operator and employer?

[mommadooo3]

Employee deaths that I can remember...bouncer and his wife, a 'floor waitress', and one other.

I'll try to dig for the 'facts'. WBB.

[wimpycat]

Ooops! This ain't the band's fault!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Hmmmmm...

PING!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Oops - didn't meant to "ping" you to your own post. Sorry! : )

Isn't this interesting? Makes you wonder what else these club owners were capable of...maybe even lying about whether they were surprised to see pyrotechnics on the night in question?

[Amerigomag]

Obviously a really slow news day in Providence.

[Shermy]

Hopefully Rhode Island has a residual fund for employee injuries under non-insured employers. Often funded by employer contributions - that is, law-abiding employers subsidizing deadbeat employers, or those who didn't get insurance due to neglect or bureaucratic screw-ups.

[Coleus]

Wow....

That owner is going to be in a lot of trouble. No wonder why he was crying. Now we know.

I feel sorry for the survivors. I was burned by steam at work, nowhere near as badly (no hospitalization required) as the victims there and I can say that you do need a lot of medical care. I was festering the next day and required cleaning every other day for a month.

[Shermy]

Check out the RI sites. Lately the tack has been to blame the "foam salesman."

It's interesting, but the salesman didn't "sell" the foam. He was a neighbor who complained about noise. He suggested foam. But no one is saying he said "BTW, buy the flammable foam. It's cheaper than the fire-proof foam."

[HairOfTheDog]

Big trouble indeed. Though.... with all the lawsuits that are coming, This is probably the least of his problems.

[wimpycat]

They are just going after the deep pockets, since the club owner doesn't have any, and a band playing rinky-dink clubs isn't sitting too pretty either, moneywise.

But the company that manufactured the foam is a company...a company with money and liability insurance, dontcha know.

If I was judge and jury here, I'd say the band was the least liable. The club owners and the town are most liable. The club owners are at fault because they failed to supervise the band setup, and they put flammable foam on their walls. The town is at fault because the fire inspection should have cited them for having flammable foam on their walls, if the foam was on the walls at the time of the fire inspection (I'm assuming there is a regulation against such a thing.) The pyrotechnics belonged to the band, but the band did not have control of the premises. The owners controlled and were responsible for the safety of the premises.

[Poohbah]

The foam was bought and installed in 2000. The fire code requires a 12-second flame test. It obviously was not performed--in less than 2 seconds, that stuff would be going like rocket fuel.

[wimpycat]

Then the town is at fault for shoddy fire inspections and not enforcing their own regulations!

[Nov3]

The more you look at this nightclub, the more you conclude that it was a disaster waiting to happen.

That is the biggest understatement I have heard on Free Republic in a LONG time. Everybody involved in this was a complete moron.

[Nov3]

Then the town is at fault for shoddy fire inspections and not enforcing their own regulations!

They are part of a monstrous train wreck. There is not a person directly involved with this situation that made a minimal effort to use his head.