Owners, tour manager indicted in R.I. club fire

[whatelseisnew]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2003/12/10/owners_tour_manager_indicted_in_ri_club_fire/

2 counts for each of 100 deaths

By Stephen Kurkjian and Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff, 12/10/2003

WARWICK, R.I. -- The two owners of The Station nightclub and a band tour manager were indicted yesterday on 200 counts each of involuntary manslaughter as a grand jury issued long-awaited criminal charges in the nation's fourth-worst nightclub fire.

... Jeffrey A. Derderian, 37, and Michael A. Derderian, 42, the brothers who owned the club, and Daniel Biechele, 27, the tour manager for the band Great White who set off the pyrotechnics that sparked the fire, were each charged under the state's involuntary manslaughter laws with 100 counts of criminal negligence and 100 counts of "misdemeanor manslaughter." They face counts for each of the 100 people who died.

... While those at the meeting initially applauded Lynch's announcement, many quickly became angry at the grand jury's decision to indict only three people and asked the attorney general repeatedly why West Warwick town officials, who signed off on building and fire inspections for the nightclub, were not charged, as well.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. It is appropriate...

That this case goes to a jury. I cannot tell you how many times, in my 27 years in the music business, I have seen pyrotechnics used irresponsibly by poorly-trained, uncertified and unlicensed people. I cannot tell you how many times I have expected the use of pyrotechnics by these people to be a precursor to the gaping maw of hell opening up and swallowing a venue and the people in it.

It was certainly just a matter of time. I just don't understand why it didn't happen sooner. Dumb luck, I reckon.

For those who think that the club owners didn't know about the pyro: Think again. They knew. I have $5.00 that says that the use of the pyro was clearly spelled out in the band's contract rider.

[ET Awful]

2. Of course there's also that little problem of the venue . . .

using highly flammable tiling that didn't meet any fire safety ratings.

[Ernesto]

3. I think it was Ceaser that would put the builder to death

if he erected a failed bullding that caused a death...... After a career in the construction industry, I have to wonder why the local building officials are not held accountable in this case.... After all is said and done, just what are inspectors for?..... Public safety is what they claim. Has anyone ever heard of a bldg. official being prosocuted?... We all know how we hold cops accountable. And guess what, their responsiblity is "public safety".

[MyDogSpot]

4. There is a lot of corruption/payoff on the east coast

That the safety inspectors didn't initially cite the owners for using "liquid gasoline" accoustics in their building tells you something.