Station Nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island 2

[bustakita]

*edited for inaccuracy - both Tanzi's did not appear to be related.

[florando]

I'm not sure why The Station fire popped into my head a few days ago. I haven't thought about since it happened almost 12 years ago. I watched the Butler video, which unfortunately led to me watching it in horror several more times this past week. Very few things keep me lying awake at night, but this video certainly did.
I'm glad to see all of you remembering those who perished, and giving thought to the ones who lived through this tragedy. Sadly, I feel unless owners of any business learn from the mistakes that led to this fire, it is only a matter of time until we see this happen again.

[bustakita]

...I think what keeps this tragic event on my mind is the fact that the whole thing from beginning to end is captured on camera immortalized. And I can only imagine how a survivor feels running across it. I'm sure they have severe PTSD even many years later.

[pkstracy]

That is crazy. I'm not challenging you at all, I'm simply saying I haven't seen it. I guess I've seen special effects, but when I think of pyrotechnics, I think of whet is in that video. I've never seen ANYTHING close to that in a theatre with all of the heavy drapery, or in a club with the audience right there in your face. I mean, that seems crazy. Our music was garage. We played with a lot of different types, but never metal. So you guys are in Cali and have seen this type of stuff here? I just thought it was crazy because California is so litigious. Like I said, curious, not challenging.

You are correct, they do not allow pyro to be used here in Cali, for the fact that it is very dry, it is illegal to even light off fireworks here, the only place that can light them off is Sea World, every night, so I doubt that they were able to use pyro in the theater. I have been to a lot of theater here in California, lived here for four years and have never seen pyro at any shows or concerts.

[florando]

I agree bustakita - not only are we able to read about this tragedy, we also are able to go through the terror of that night. We are able to watch the crowd having fun before the show, then see and hear them struggling to escape in the next video clip.

I just ordered Killer Show and From the Ashes. Looking forward to reading both.

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

Anyone still doing IDs? Has the man in the pre-fire video looking straight-ahead at the camera at 5:07-5:08 ever been IDed? Milton L. Servis II?

[RodentLady]

Anyone still doing IDs? Has the man in the pre-fire video looking straight-ahead at the camera at 5:07-5:08 ever been IDed? Milton L. Servis II?

I don't have a picture of him to compare, Lt. Do you have one?

Are you referencing the youtube version? I just paused it at 5:08. I see a man with long brown hair, moustache, short beard. No hat or glasses. He has a dark jacket that's open to show a grey shirt with a narrow horizontal stripe.

[Dulcinea]

You are correct, they do not allow pyro to be used here in Cali, for the fact that it is very dry, it is illegal to even light off fireworks here, the only place that can light them off is Sea World, every night, so I doubt that they were able to use pyro in the theater. I have been to a lot of theater here in California, lived here for four years and have never seen pyro at any shows or concerts.

I guess the film industry gets around that. I have performed in theatre for 22 years and have seen shows all over the country. Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Cats, A Christmas Carol, Aladdin, The 2014 Broadway production of "You Can't Take it With You", The recent production of "Romeo and Juliet", Spamalot, Cirque de Soliel all use pyrotechnics on tour and these are only the ones I can think of off the top of my head. The only show I've seen in Los Angeles was Kiss Me Kate, so none were used anyway.

Disney World and Universal Orlando use them heavily at all of their parks (though it is mostly outside), so that makes me think Disneyland and Universal in LA do as well. I've been to California Adventure and Universal in CA. Universal had a show based on 'Waterworld" that used a lot of fire, but again it was outside. I know the WWE uses them in their live shows and I've seen several arena concerts that use them (Elton John, Aerosmith). But as I stated in my original post... the size of the pyrotechnics used at the Station was insane for the size of the venue. In a small theatre like that I've never seen anything that sprays used. The most would be a fog machine and maybe flash paper.

ETA: And actually, they are not banned in California if you have a license. Pages 11, 29, and 65 talk about Theater and Film 'special effects':

http://www.pyroinnovations.com/docs/...ndbook2008.pdf

[RodentLady]

Milton L. Servis II?

I found a pic of him on google images:

Quite a similarity. The Milton of today looks like the Dad of the 2003 Milton. I'd say yeah, they are probably both him.

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

Yes- the YouTube video. I didn't know there was more than one pre-fire video. Does the other video have more footage or is clearer? If so, where can I find this video? I did see another pic of Milton Servis that I think more closely resembled the guy in the video with long hair, black jacket opened to expose a light gray shirt w/ stripe just after Tracey King basically goes to the storeroom to tell Mike Jandron to get his ass back out there.

[pkstracy]

Yes if you have a license, so meaning places like Seaworld, Disney and such, I too have seen several shows in Vegas and did not see any pyro inside, outside is a different matter

[Dulcinea]

Yes if you have a license, so meaning places like Seaworld, Disney and such, I too have seen several shows in Vegas and did not see any pyro inside, outside is a different matter

Ok. I'm done. Although, here is a company that does theatre pyrotechnics in Las Vegas. I guess you've never seen any of these.

http://www.aespyro.com/gallery-of-events/live-theatre

Since this doesn't relate directly but indirectly to the Station, I'll just stop trying to tell you what I've learned from performing and seeing professional theatrical productions for 22 years. Pyrotechnics are used.... indoors.... every night.

[RodentLady]

Yes- the YouTube video. I didn't know there was more than one pre-fire video. Does the other video have more footage or is clearer? If so, where can I find this video? I did see another pic of Milton Servis that I think more closely resembled the guy in the video

Dionyzus has the same video on his "SF Public" site. The timing differs by a few seconds. If you come across the other photo again, please link it here so we can all analyse and discuss. I love knowing that people in the videos are still alive and that I'm NOT witnessing their last minutes of life when I watch.

[bustakita]

...if you are correct on this I'd, I would be happy to have "found" another survivor. Where is LLC and everyone else. I know they could probably help you figure it out.

[florando]

On the Butler video that is around 13 minutes long, I've been trying to figure out what a woman in the crowd is saying. It occurs at the 4:04 mark. She's got short, wavy blonde hair and mentions something about "this will be great footage." Then she starts scratching at her head and says (I believe), "my hair is bleeding!" I could be way off mark with what she said, though - and if she was bleeding, would this have been from being caught in the trample to get out, or perhaps having slight burn injuries to her head.
Sigh, thought I would take a few days away from this subject, but Killer Show arrived in the mail, so I'm right back at it...

[RodentLady]

On the Butler video that is around 13 minutes long, I've been trying to figure out what a woman in the crowd is saying. It occurs at the 4:04 mark. She's got short, wavy blonde hair and mentions something about "this will be great footage." Then she starts scratching at her head and says (I believe), "my hair is bleeding!" I could be way off mark with what she said, though - and if she was bleeding, would this have been from being caught in the trample to get out, or perhaps having slight burn injuries to her head.
Sigh, thought I would take a few days away from this subject, but Killer Show arrived in the mail, so I'm right back at it...

Dionyzus has made an excellent transcript of the Butler video. It's the first item in this folder:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?...09fMVhZMVROQUk


I've been taking extensive notes of some mistakes that I noticed in Killer Show. Most are inconsequential, like mixing up which counties and courthouses the defendents' plea bargains were held in. But remember the biggie that has been mentioned many times in these threads- Dina DeMaio, who died, was NOT the bartender at the front bar. She was a waitress, not seen in any of the videos, who walked among the crowd taking drink orders. The happy bartender that Barylick calls Dina is JENN CHOQUETTE, who escaped uninjured. She is alive and well, she has married and become a mother in the years since.

[dionyzus]

On the Butler video that is around 13 minutes long, I've been trying to figure out what a woman in the crowd is saying. It occurs at the 4:04 mark. She's got short, wavy blonde hair and mentions something about "this will be great footage." Then she starts scratching at her head and says (I believe), "my hair is bleeding!" I could be way off mark with what she said, though - and if she was bleeding, would this have been from being caught in the trample to get out, or perhaps having slight burn injuries to her head.
Sigh, thought I would take a few days away from this subject, but Killer Show arrived in the mail, so I'm right back at it...

Hi Florando, you'll have your hands full for a while absorbing Killer Show! It is the best reference book about the fire, mistakes notwithstanding.

As RL stated, I made a transcript of the Butler video and other forum members (including her) have helped to fill out the commentary or clarify things that were hard to make out. The woman you mention is obviously disoriented and confused by what's going on, alternately talking to Butler and then to herself when she mentions "oh my god I'm bleeding!" I've wondered if she mistook her singed hair for blood. Most head wounds bleed profusely but you can't see any blood on her face. But anyway she was certainly one of the lucky ones to emerge relatively unscathed.

[florando]

Thanks dionyzus and Rodent Lady!
I'm still working my way through part 1 of the thread and have made it up to chapter 14 in the book. Off from work today, so I'll spend some time going through the video transcript.
I was amazed at how Hal Panciera managed to save the man he was seen carrying on his shoulder (gimme a medic!). What quick thinking to use snowballs to help guide the man to the window!

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

Dionyzus has made an excellent transcript of the Butler video. It's the first item in this folder:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?...09fMVhZMVROQUk


I've been taking extensive notes of some mistakes that I noticed in Killer Show. Most are inconsequential, like mixing up which counties and courthouses the defendents' plea bargains were held in. But remember the biggie that has been mentioned many times in these threads- Dina DeMaio, who died, was NOT the bartender at the front bar. She was a waitress, not seen in any of the videos, who walked among the crowd taking drink orders. The happy bartender that Barylick calls Dina is JENN CHOQUETTE, who escaped uninjured. She is alive and well, she has married and become a mother in the years since.

In Killer Show, there is a mention of an Erin exiting behind Butler and I believe he calls that woman 'Erin Pucino', however, nowhere in that part of the video do I see anyone resembling Erin "Pietra" Pucino. I believe he might be referring to the dark-haired woman with a light-colored sweater, who I think looks more like the only other Erin that was in the club that night- Erin Whalen Cowan. The Jen Choquette thing drives me crazy too.

That woman saying that her head is bleeding may have also been cut exiting a window. I think her hair would have been visibly singed if the bleeding was due to a burn.

[bustakita]

I believe you are correct Lt Frank Drebin

[florando]

Lt. Frank - that is another good possibility about the woman saying she was bleeding.
I've made it to chapter 23 in Killer Show. Much of the information I learned from this forum, but I gained a lot of knowledge about polyurethane and burn/inhalation injuries.
The chapter dealing with the families waiting at the Crowne Plaza for word on their loves ones was hard to read. I can't imagine their grief and frustration.
The Derderians make me want to punch a hole in the wall...

[TheDude]

Mapcrunch has a better more modern street view of the Station if you are interested, the googlemaps one is terrible but with mapcrunch you can go on the side road and closer to the memorial.

Plus that side road does look a bit uphill I'm noticing in the pictures.

[LLC]

Ugh I hope this hasn't posted 3 times...FAD doesn't want to let me post today...

Mike Ricardi's new book:

http://www.amazon.com/Just-Thought-A...ichael+ricardi

[Cynful]

Mapcrunch has a better more modern street view of the Station if you are interested, the googlemaps one is terrible but with mapcrunch you can go on the side road and closer to the memorial.

Plus that side road does look a bit uphill I'm noticing in the pictures.

Thanks Dude- appreciate the info. What was/is the actual physical address on Cowesett Avenue?

[TheDude]

Thanks Dude- appreciate the info. What was/is the actual physical address on Cowesett Avenue?

211 Cowesett

[Cynful]

211 Cowesett

Thank you! I sure appreciate it.

Wow, I have seen this before, but it's been a long time...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...c0a6ca!6m1!1e1

https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...c0a6ca!6m1!1e1

[TheDude]

Thank you! I sure appreciate it.

Wow, I have seen this before, but it's been a long time...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...c0a6ca!6m1!1e1

https://www.google.com/maps/place/21...c0a6ca!6m1!1e1

Glad to see they finally updated googlemaps before it was a bad streetview image and you couldn't go on the side road near the memorial. It's sad to see those metal folding chairs rusting away and there hasn't been a memorial with benches built yet

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

Can anyone do a screen grab for me? I'm trying to make a possible ID, but trying to pause at a very specific moment is impossible. Anyway, in the 13 minute-long fire video thats on YouTube, at the very bottom of the screen on the right, there is a guy with blonde tight curly hair that appears from 1:03 to 1:12. You can see his face well at about 1:11. He might be this guy, survivor Kristopher Somers:



He would have been there with his friend, Arthur Jamie Conway, who might be the guy to the left of him, with the white shirt glowing under the blacklights.

[atomicbettie]

I don't know if this will help you at all. I can't get that stupid loading bar thing out of it when it's paused, and of course it's right over his face. I moved it second by second and this is the best shot I could get of the guy.

[RodentLady]

Thank your for sharing the news about the latest book, LLC! I was unaware of that one. I'll add it to my list for the future. I know of a movie in the works, as well. The fire was soon ignored by the media because it didn't advance any agenda (war, racism, terrorism, gun control, et cetera.) Yet there are still passionate folks around who refuse to let it be forgotten.

Lt. Frank, the man that you said might be Arthur "Jamie" Conway has been shown in a more recent photo here on these threads somewhere. If I find it again, I will update.

[atomicbettie]

I agree that it does look like him. Glad I was able to help a little. I wish there had been a better picture of him, but that really was the best one possible.

[maryd]

Many of you may have known that Jack Russell's Great White was to play a concert in Maine this weekend. It's been over 12 years since he was anywhere near this area. Of course there were mixed emotions all over the place. But the story here is that karma seems to have shown up:
http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/2015...hill/31806185/

[TheDude]

Many of you may have known that Jack Russell's Great White was to play a concert in Maine this weekend. It's been over 12 years since he was anywhere near this area. Of course there were mixed emotions all over the place. But the story here is that karma seems to have shown up:
http://www.wcsh6.com/story/news/2015...hill/31806185/

I'd consider it to be divine intervention

[Lyrica]

Ugh I hope this hasn't posted 3 times...FAD doesn't want to let me post today...

Mike Ricardi's new book:

http://www.amazon.com/Just-Thought-A...ichael+ricardi

Ooo, thank you for posting this, im gonna buy it

[Laura136]

Hello everyone! I read through the first thread and now this one. I randomly through YT came across the station disaster (although long time reader of FAD) and in the last week I've tried to find every possible thing I can about this tradegy... To think of how many times my husband and I have been in a bar like that actually kinda scares me...

[pkstracy]

So I just talked to someone who is in law enforcement here in cali about the firework debate, residents, meaning people like us, are not allowed to shoot off fireworks, however, Sea World can, as far as doing pyro indoors at theater they are not allowed to anymore due to the droughts. Anyway back on topic, This is still haunting, thanks for posting a link about the new book, will pick up a copy.

[Laura136]

So I was shopping with my daughter today and almost had a heart attack... While paying for our purchases an alarm sounded and I swear it sounded the exact same as the fire alarm heard on the yt station video... Then I saw about 3 people rushing somewhere. Needless to say I grabbed my daughters hand and we left asap. If how panicked I felt in those few seconds is any measure of how those people in the station felt, my heart just breaks

[TheDude]

So I was shopping with my daughter today and almost had a heart attack... While paying for our purchases an alarm sounded and I swear it sounded the exact same as the fire alarm heard on the yt station video... Then I saw about 3 people rushing somewhere. Needless to say I grabbed my daughters hand and we left asap. If how panicked I felt in those few seconds is any measure of how those people in the station felt, my heart just breaks

Yeah you really gotta feel for them, could you imagine the panic, hysteria and claustrophobia that had to be going on in their heads? knowing the fire is currently quickly making it's way across the foam ceiling towards the crowd and it's not moving at all.

There are some situations I've been at in life where I'm outside, in a crowd and I've actually had to push my way through people and get some air.

[Laura136]

I can't even begin to feel how they had, especially knowing the fire was right there. It's still unbelievable at how quickly the fire moved, the fact that all they had was 30 seconds to get out. I personally don't think I would have registered what was going on in that amount of time.

On a side note though, while I was searching through Google I came across a news article saying that the memorial should be finished by 2016

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/03/2...-open-in-2016/ Hopefully that works!! I'm on my cell so I'm not entirely sure!!

Hopefully they get can finish everything!!

[pkstracy]

It will be nice when the memorial gets done.

[RodentLady]

WELCOME to the thread, Laura 136!!!

Does anyone have any more info on Catherine Carignan? Age, middle name or even middle initial, new last name?

http://rivoters.com/by_number/060007..._carignan.html

[bayougypsy]

The only time Fred Levesque has made an appearance in this forum (to my knowledge) was on the 10th anniversary of the fire, on page 94 I believe of the old thread. He stated:

"that is me with Nancy at the bar. When the show started she went toward the stage and I was to meet her."

So he IDed himself in your second picture, not the first. We still haven't positively IDed the 3 people in the first picture, to my knowledge.

Oh and as for the question about a possible second video camera from 2:40 to 2:47, I can see what you're looking at RL. But I think it's the back of a neon sign in a window.

Hi, ya'll. I've never posted here, but have been reading and trying to keep up. Have the 3 people in the top picture been identified, for sure? The reason I'm asking is because I stumbled across a FaceBook Memorial Page for Catherine Sagesta and the pictures her daughter posted sure look an awful like the brunette haired woman in the middle.

[RodentLady]

Welcome, bayougypsy!

Can you please post a link to the FB page?

--------------------------------------------

Changing topic:

Some of the Derderians have tried their hand at acting in recent years. Since delving back into SNF research this year, I have come across the name of this teen actor several times:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3095965/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t25
It's the same name as one of Jeff Derderian's 16 (or 17) year old twins. I dismissed it as coincidence.

Today, I looked at the credits for this web series of his. It was filmed in BARRINGTON, RHODE ISLAND! His mother, Linda Derderian, guest-starred in one episode and someone named Jake Derderian was also in the cast at one point:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1851589/...=tt_cl_sm#cast

Click on the thumbnail in the middle row, furthest to the right:
http://www.angelwoodpictures.com/red...s.php?season=1

THAT IS HE!

Here he was at an anniversay memorial mass for the fire, c. 2008?


Strangely, his twin brother has been cut out of this photo by the media company that released it. Sam, who was thinner than Max and had longer, slightly darker hair, was standing next to him.

I had a bit of a giggle looking over the rest of the names and faces. I recognise Jared Haibon from CCRI. The Red Circles site said he's made appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. His pretty face got him his 15 minutes. Good to know!

[bayougypsy]

Thanks, I'll try. let me know if it doesn't show up. I was going to post it in my first post but didn't know if it was appropriate to do so.
OK, for some reason I can't get it to show up. If you get on FB and search "In Loving Memory of Catherine Sagesta" you should find it.

[CommanderAmander]

Thanks, I'll try. let me know if it doesn't show up. I was going to post it in my first post but didn't know if it was appropriate to do so.
OK, for some reason I can't get it to show up. If you get on FB and search "In Loving Memory of Catherine Sagesta" you should find it.

Hi there, I checked out that FB page and I agree, she does look like the brunette in that trio... good eye

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

Catherine Sagesta was with John Van Deusen as a date. I agree that that does seem to be Catuerine Sagesta in the video, but then the guy to the right of her most likely has to be John Van Deusen. I highly doubt she would be cozying up with somebody other than her date that night.

[RodentLady]

Can't tell one way or the other with these two later photos of John Van Deusen:


Can someone post the Catherine memorial page for me? When I visit facebook. com, I get a request to sign up and log in. There is no search box to look anyone up. Usually I can get around this by using a search engine. Not this time.

[Lt. Frank Drebin]

I dont know how to post a whole page, but from the page, I chose the picture that best resembles the woman in the video. I didn't find any pics of John VanDeusen in there. What I'm having a hard time with is that in the video, the guy she was with doesn't really look like JVD and I believ that guy had a mustache in the vid, but that pic of JVD and the ambulance shows he had no mustache at that time.

Good job, bayougypsy, in finding pics of Catherine Sagesta. I tried my hardest on my own, but couldn't find any. Now to track down Catherine Carignan. I finally was able to track down Lisa Scott, and that took a lot of work.

[dionyzus]

I dont know how to post a whole page, but from the page, I chose the picture that best resembles the woman in the video. I didn't find any pics of John VanDeusen in there.

Thanks Frank, that looks very much like the brunette in question from the Butler pre-fire video. Also from RL's pic of Van Deusen, he could be the same man (with a moustache then) that was standing next to her along with the blonde woman.

The witness statements indicate that Catherine came to the show only with John Van Deusen. Nothing in the statements by Catherine or John identifies anyone else they saw there, but Catherine's statement from the Phase 4 folder did state that John met a couple of people he knew at the bar. One of them could be the blonde woman, but this info doesn't help to ID her.

[RodentLady]

Thank you. Lt Frank!!

I'd call that a VERY strong resemblance. She has that distinctive eye shape. With everyone's input, this community is identifying someone every couple of months. Great!