Past pyrotechnic use at club is explored

The Boston Globe ^ | 2/23/03 | Christopher Rowland & Stephanie Ebbert

[Dane]

And new questions emerged yesterday about whether similar pyrotechnics were set off at the club before, apparently without any objection from the owners.

A band member from a Kiss tribute band, called Kisstory, said that he, too, had used pyrotechnics on The Station's stage - and that he knew several other bands that had done the same. Jay Duffy, 29, of Fitchburg, who used to play bass for Kisstory, said yesterday that when he played the club with a Def Leppard tribute band last August, he blew fireballs out of his mouth, and used ''flash pots,'' and confetti cannons. He said he has seen other bands use pyrotechnics onstage at The Station.

The musicians said they are angry at public statements by the club owners that they were unaware that Great White would be using pyrotechnics.

''I know so many people who have done pyro in that place,'' Duffy said.

The Derderians have owned the club since March of 2000.

Rev Tyler, 35, of Methuen, guitar player for the now-defunct band Lovin Kry, said that in the five years he played with the band, he played at The Station 10 or 15 times before his band moved to California in September 2000, including once on March 14, 2000, and again later that year. All but one time, they used pyrotechnics, he said.

Tyler was interviewed by police investigating the fire in Warwick yesterday.

[Dane]

Also from the article.

West Warwick Fire Chief Charles Hall said he did not know whether his department had been informed about the installation of the foam tiles at The Station. Hall also would not say whether his department's inspector saw the foam material on the walls during an inspection in December, which cleared the club of violations.

Hall would not release the inspection report, saying it is now part of the fire investigation. Hall and West Warwick Town Manager Wolfgang Bauer yesterday raised the possibility that the material may have been installed by club owners after the December visit. They would not elaborate.

[dennisw]

Did Spinal Tap ever play that club?

[PackerBoy]

Just one man's view ...

I don't care what was done in the past, or if they had fireproof tiles installed on the walls and ceiling of that nightclub, just looking at the placement of pyrotechnic stands and the low ceiling and close walls tells me that the band's roadies were completely clueless about basic safety.

[Dane]

Did Spinal Tap ever play that club?

I have never seen the whole movie, just parts while channel surfing.

People on other threads have basically commented that this tragedy is Spinal Tap gone to the morbid limits.

[Dane]

the band's roadies were completely clueless about basic safety

I agree not only the roadies but the band itself were clueless. When I see that picture of the bass player to the left of the singer keeping on playing for a good 10 seconds while watching the flames go up the backwall, I'm dumbfounded.

JMO, but his playing on gave the illusion that the fire was part of the show.

[#3Fan]

Pyro or no pyro, there's no way a public place should go up in two minutes. The initial cause doesn't look important to me, the fact that it went up in two minutes is what's important. A cigarette against that foam would've burnt the place down in two minutes also.

[R W Reactionairy]

"Jay Duffy, 29, of Fitchburg, who used to play bass for Kisstory, said yesterday that when he played the club with a Def Leppard tribute band last August, he blew fireballs out of his mouth, and used ''flash pots,'' and confetti cannons. He said he has seen other bands use pyrotechnics onstage at The Station."

Other bands may have used pryotechnics. Fine, but judging from the way the fire started, apparently on both sides of the stage at once, it is highly unlikely that they used the same sorts of devices or deployed them as close to the back drop. The only qualification to this is the possibility that the backdrop itself was changed.

Some fires start under freakish circumstances. This one appears to be totally repeatable i.e. a near certainty once the stage was set.

[Atlas Sneezed]

My question is why the fire marshall allowed the club to maintain a wall full of flammable acoustic foam (where there are non-flammable alternatives easily available) and when that foam was (undoubtedly) installed without a building permit.

A tinder box, even without flame effects, as one cigarette or electrical fault could have led to the same result.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

There's gonna be a few folks seeing the inside of a jail cell by the time this is over.

I wonder where the folks who would gripe about statist rules on crowding, sprinklers, and construction materials are on this one?

[Sacajaweau]

Are you telling me this is not addressed in a contract between the band and the owners?? There's something we don't know.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

I'm curious as to what the promoter has to say - they should have addressed this directly.

Did you see the sobfest by the owner yesterday? He is ruined and knows it - and if they had pyro in that room before, it was too damn small.

[Sacajaweau]

I'd like to know if these "new" owners own other similar places??

The group itself must have a history of addressing this in other clubs.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The band does have some apparent history of this, but it travels quite a bit, so there wouldn't be a lot of local gossip.

I doubt these guys own any other bars. The guy they trotted out was in his early 30s, it looked to me.

[Sacajaweau]

They apparently needed a permit for the Pyros which they did not apply for.

The Inspector said it would have been denied because it was a wooden structure and also because of the low ceilings.

White is playing the "it's their fault" except the group lit the "match" and everyone saw it.

[Jesse]

From what I have read so far, no regulations were broken regarding crowd size, sprinklers, or construction materials in this particular club. The regulation which may have been broken was the fact that permission or permit for pyrotechnics needed to be obtained, which if granted would have led to a requirement for a regulation which coincided with common sense...having fire extinguishers and people to use them if you are going to use indoor pyrotechnics.

As someone who frequently gripes about statist rules, understand that I do not advocate anarchy, but rules and regulations often have a point of diminishing return...

[Chancellor Palpatine]

My understanding is that there was a max occupancy of 300 on the room (I heard another figure of 250). 96 died, 150 were hospitalized, and approximately 100 were pulled out by rescue crews. Not counting the ones who got out on their own (probably a sizable number as well), the room was already over limit.

Sprinklers were grandfathered out (and authorities may take a new look at that one), and the interior materials would have been subject to test before approval - and given how quick they went up, there is no way they'd have passed.

There will be some jail time for someone.

[LibKill]

You have to wonder who the brain-surgeon was that thought indoor fireworks were a good idea.

[Sacajaweau]

The Building Inspector already stated that a permit would not have been granted because it was a wood structure with low ceilings.

[supercat]

You have to wonder who the brain-surgeon was that thought indoor fireworks were a good idea.

When not used near gasoline or other similarly-volatile materials, gerbs are pretty safe. Unfortunately, the band didn't realize--as perhaps they should have--that some clubs have walls as volatile as gasoline.