Rhode Island marks 15 years since 100 killed in club fire
WEST WARWICK, R.I. — Rhode Island is marking the 15th anniversary of a nightclub fire that killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others.
The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick started when pyrotechnics for the rock band Great White set fire to flammable foam installed as soundproofing.
The brothers who owned the club and Great White's tour manager were charged in the fire. All three reached plea deals, with the tour manager pleading guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter and the brothers pleading no contest. Lawsuits brought by survivors and victims' relatives were settled for $176 million.
WEST WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND - FEBRUARY 23: The burned remnants of 'The Station' nightclub litters the scene February 23, 2003 in West Warwick, Rhode Island. A deadly fire, that took the lives of 96 people, started when a pyrotechnics display during a
The site of the fire is now a memorial park.
On Tuesday, some survivors and victims' relatives will gather there to discuss a new federal tax incentive for sprinkler installation.
WEST WARWICK, RI - FEBRUARY 21: The charred exterior of The Station nighclub is shown February 21, 2003 in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Fire broke out during the performance and pyrotechnic display by the '80s band Great White. In an interview with CN