Band Members Subpoenaed to Testify in Nightclub Fire Probe

AP via FoxNews ^ | Feb 25, 2003 | AP

[battlegearboat]

It's just so sad and stupid.

[FourtySeven]

It's just so sad and stupid.

Yes. Hopefully though, some lessons might be learned.

[Question_Assumptions]

Things are looking better for the band and worse for the club owners. Let's see if the club owners can pass the buck onto fire inspectors. The sad things is that this is probably one of those situations where a lot of little mistakes added up into one big disaster. But people usually want a single group to blame so we'll see who is ultimately left holding the lawsuits.

[EggsAckley]

Ninety-seven people. I still have to stop and ponder that. We held a garden wedding here and there were about a hundred people. I have trouble imagining THAT many people dead, in a matter of minutes.

[Howlin]

I'm betting that we hear about a lot of work the owners did to that club recently in order to "spruce" it up for the pending sale.

I don't see how anybody came try to put the blame for this on the band. If they can, they arrest all bands that use pryo for POTENTIAL MURDER.

[FourtySeven]

I'm betting that we hear about a lot of work the owners did to that club recently in order to "spruce" it up for the pending sale.

That's an interesting possibility. Wasn't someone supposed to come to the club the next day as part of a sales deal?

[ibanezjem]

Wouldn't a pyrotech check to see if the place is safe enough to use pyro? Having a low ceiling and styrofoam stuff on the walls. Hmmmm doesn't sound safe to me. I'm not knocking the band at all on this because they are a fantastic band. But lets get with the program here and think safety before we use fire in any way. I believe its the pyro tech and the owners at fault.

[grania]

The sad thing is that this is probably one of those situations where a lot of little mistakes added up into one big disaster.

Add to that...it sounds like anyone in the almost impossible chain of events could've stopped it by saying something....just one observant and caring person was all it would've taken.

[dfwgator]

But people usually want a single group to blame so we'll see who is ultimately left holding the lawsuits.

You know as well as I do it will be whichever party has the deepest pockets.

[Howlin]

That's what I read. I'm betting that eggcrate was newly installed.

I'm sorry -- and I know this is NOT very PC -- but when you have 97 people die in your place of business, you MUST start talking to the police IMMEDIATELY.

Unless they have something to hide.

[LenS]

Why would Rhode Island need federal aid?

Because one building burned down? Private fire insurance can't deal with that?

To run the investigation? It doesn't take that many investigative-hours to interview the band and employees of the club.

Lab work? The cause of the fire is clear, there's no Space Shuttle mystery here.

Coroner OT? A week's worth of OT is too much for the state budget and local budgets? This isn't the WTC ruins, the bodies are charred but intact enough for dental and DNA -- heck, they're identifying them at a fairly quick pace.

Medical costs? Yes, that'll be extensive with the number of badly burned people on respirators. But the odds are good that most of these people have medical insurance.

So what's left -- the federal govt. now compensates the families of all dead people in the US from now on?

[FreeTally]

I'm sorry -- and I know this is NOT very PC -- but when you have 97 people die in your place of business, you MUST start talking to the police IMMEDIATELY.

I see it along the same lines as an incident you may have heard of where a wealthy couple in Colorado refused to speak to the police when their young daughter turned up murdered in their home.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

I'm sorry -- and I know this is NOT very PC -- but when you have 97 people die in your place of business, you MUST start talking to the police IMMEDIATELY.

Unless they have something to hide - Howlin

---

Good points. The club owners were quick to blame the band....but now he police are saying they havent been real forthcoming

Also, other bands have played the club and used pyrotech....so the story of not allowing Great White permission is questionable.

[Howlin]

Exactly. And Mr. Peterson, too. It seems to be a fad. And not one I like.

[LenS]

Huh? Any band stupid enough to set off pyro with a ceiling that wasn't made of cement or some clearly non-flameable material deserves to be charged with murder.

Pyro at a big sports arena with a ceiling hundreds of feet above the stage is a lot different than pyro with a ceiling ten feet high (and curtains/drapes ten feet away).

This band murdered it's fans with extreme stupidity, yet they're going to be excused because they're musicians. Bah! Heck, they're so upset that they want to continue the tour and replace their dead guitarist. If anyone's greedy here, it's the band, not the club owners.

[capecodderathome]

I cannot fathom why anyone would want or need pyrotechnics to begin with, as part of musical entertainment.

That being said, the band, the owners, the fire inspector, and anyone else remotely connected should be held liable.

Stupidity, compounded by ignorance and more stupidity, just doesn't fly.

Richard

[scouse]

Something which I was thinking about just after this fire happened is whether or not these bands who use pyrotechnics are covered by OSHA regulations?. If, after all, they use fireworks etc as part of their act, is it classed as a segment of their empployment?.

[TLBSHOW]

I just said this at the other thread...

There are two groups that are guilty the band and the owners of the club. My opinion of course.

The band for doing fireworks in the club and the owners for allowing it since what I heard there were other bands that have played there and did it too. If that story is true?

Who has more money the band or the club?

[Revolting cat!]

Yep, Great White, the deep thinkers who started the fire, are innocent! 200% innocent, as O.J. Simpson would put it!