An Immediate Lesson from the Horror and Tragedy in Rhode Island

JeffHead.com ^ | February 21, 2003 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

Tragedy and Abject Horror in Rhode Island

People trapped at the front door of The Station as the fire approaches ... and then The Station fully engulfed

Here is a first hand account that was apparently posted on www.metal-sludge.com by an eye-witness to the senseless and horrific events at The Station Night Club in Rhode Island on February 20, 2003 where 100 or more people died.

From metal-sludge: This email was just sent into us by Sludgeaholic George D. It's a chilling account of what he experienced at the Great White show last night.

My name is George D. 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 were 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 am 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 doorway. 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 D.

[Travis McGee]

The Suadis and Islamic pilgrims to Mecca know this very well, a fire in a pedestrian tunnel killed hundreds a few years back, crushed to death or burned in a wild panic stampede.

They know very well how panic can be manufactured to leverage mass death from ordinary circumstances.

[Jeff Head]

Keep BUMP'ing. Thanks in advance.

Take up your doubts with the folks over at whatever web-site it originated from. They apparently know the guy.

My point is, and remains the analogy.

[Ciexyz]

The account seems consistent with the witness that was on O'Reilly tonight, the young man with dark hair, who said he couldn't see in the smoke but thought he was going in the direction of the door, and found himself scratching along the wall, hoping it was the wall that led to the door. All of a sudden he reached the doorway and fell outside, with people pushing behind him.

[xzins]

Hey, Travis. Were you the one who came up with the Mahdi theory of Osama Bin Laden a while back?

Is there any movement on it? BTW, I'm truly interested in it.

[Jeff Head]

who have lead such comfortable and safe lives that they take it for granted. Damn, that is a horrible metaphore.

Horrific agreement here. In these times, the price for inaction, ignorance and an unwillingness to be vigilant may be very,very terribly high.

[First_Salute]

Jeff,

The generation coming on has been raised to be non-observing; "experts," they are told, are there for them, wherever they may desire to trip along.

And trip, they do.

At the company where I work, I bought the fire extinguiser months ago. I bought the flashlights in case the power goes out. I bought the analog telephone so that when the digital units are dead, somebody can still call out. All, at my own expense.

Last July, at a gasoline fuel depot nearby, I stopped to investigate when the siren was blowing --- nobody was there; gates wide open; no guards; no track of how many thousands of gallons the terrorists had driven away with; no mention of it in the news; and nobody there or downtown or in the F.B.I. would care to know this, because the event caught them all completely ignorant of what is going on out there.

I watch the airport fence perimeter, and sure enough, there is no patrol at all. Somalis drive the taxi cabs right up to the doors of the terminal, no security checks at all, while passengers must park many hundred yards away.

Delta Airlines B-757's sit only a hundred feet from fences which are not watched; the jets' hatches are open; anybody could plant a bomb therein; but nobody is watching ... except the Somali taxi cab drivers.

I carry a many first aid supplies in the car; fire gloves; fire extinguisher, etc., because unlike Nancy Pelosi who thinks that President Bush has not offered up enough money for "the first responders," I am painfully aware of the entire lack of 2nd and 3rd responders throughout the country --- such as the fire last evening.

When the 1st team goes in for, you may say, a busy day, who will be minding the 'burbs? Nobody but volunteers who suddenly realize, that while something big blew up downtown, and the "1st responders" have all rushed there ... well, guess what, out on the beltway around the town, that is where an even bigger disaster awaits, and there are absolutely no firemen, no fire trucks, no water, few ambulances, and ten thousand people in need of the now lost "1st responders."

Nobody is watching the schoolyards to make sure that some Muslims do not plant a few landmines brought in from Kosovo. Nobody is watching the outside of the buildings which are on the threat list.

There's just a whole lot of inside discussion that is near incredible in its centricity.

You could drive up to that gasoline depot and leave with 10,000 gallons of fuel, and nobody would stop you; there is nobody there, even tonight.

Sleep tight.

[jwalsh07]

You're right abot he horror and tragedy of the situation. Panic is a terrible thing.

A point all should take notice of is that there were 4 exits with very few knowing of or taking advantage of same. Terribly sad.

[Jeff Head]

I agree with your 37 ... but they also died because they did not recognize the situation quickly enough to extract themselves.

If I was inclinded to visit such places at all, I would have been out of there as soon as the fireworks started going off in such a crowded and confied space ... but since I am not so inclined, I would not have been there in the first place.

We need some global "fire-retardant" material right now in many of our policies and a lot of vigilism right here at home IMHO. I pray we as a people will rise to the occassion and do so.

[Jeff Head]

Well said.

[Jeff Head]

I had to get it down and posted.

[MileHi]

Wow, you are a smart summbich, aintcha?

[Travis McGee]

Hey, Travis. Were you the one who came up with the Mahdi theory of Osama Bin Laden a while back? Is there any movement on it? BTW, I'm truly interested in it.

We were kicking it around; Sabertooth ran a bunch of threads on it as I recall.

[harpseal]

Roger on humans burning. It is probaly one of the most horrific ways to die and this was a true tragedy.

[Balata]

I would tend to agree. There is nothing in this guys personal account that is not in the film we have all been watching over and over. Usually you would expect an eye witness account would include at least two or three items that those of us who only had access to the film were not aware of.

[Travis McGee]

We can go a long way to safeguarding our kids by always explaining the panic stampede phenomenon when we are in crowded public venues.

Explain that 95% of people will head for the main entrance, and die in the crush.

Always point out to them the side and back exits, so they will get in the habit of looking for them.

Point out windows, and what can be used to break them open (chairs, lamps, tables).

This is important stuff to impart to our kids.

[Jeff Head]

You are right, even after 9-11, our society is amazingly unprepared to face the types of enemies we face.

I posteed an article on a way to prepare and one that could be extrapolated to include the 2nd and 3rd responder role.

Here it is on my site:

Arm the People NOW

It also had two great and lengthy discussion threads here on FR.

I produce a working version of it in my series of novels when our nation is faced with a fictional scenario similar to all of the things you spoke of in your post.

The Dragon's Fury Series

[harpseal]

Sabertooth did run a whole number of threads on the issue using the search engine should bring them up

[Balata]

Apparently it is not uncommon for people who are trying to exit a building due to a fire to get stuck, trampled and die in a doorway. 21 people lost their lives in Chicago in exactly the same way the 20+ people in R.I. did who got stuck in the door. So yes I agree lessons need to be learned.

CHICAGO -- Authorities said 21 people were killed and dozens of others were seriously injured at a south side night club, when they were crushed while trying to exit through a single door.

[xm177e2]

IMO THIS was written for release at some *future* date!

Did I just see _Jim endorse a conspiracy theory??? I thought you were the resident debunker...

[Jeff Head]

Yes it is ... and it has been long standing here in Emmett, Idaho.

Always important, but articluarly in these times.