| 12/31/2003
Acts of kindness
Three
things in human life are important, said the writer Henry James. "The
first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind."
12/30/2003
Coventry fire chief takes heat for talks
A
Coventry fire chief has been traveling the East Coast, speaking at
conferences about The Station nightclub fire in neighboring West
Warwick.
12/27/2003
Correction
CORRECTION
12/26/2003
Warwick detective aiding club fire probe 'as long as I'm needed'
On
Feb. 21, the day after flames shot through The Station nightclub,
Warwick Police Chief Stephen McCartney walked through the ruins with
his West Warwick counterpart, Peter T. Brousseau.
12/24/2003
Victim's father asks for federal investigation
PROVIDENCE
-- A radio talk-show host whose son died in The Station nightclub fire
is campaigning for a federal investigation of the way Rhode Island
authorities and Attorney General Patrick Lynch handled the state's
probe of the fire.
12/22/2003
Forged by fire, Day 8: The Legacy
Forty hours after the fire, the call went out to dentists.
Forged by fire, Day 8: Chronology
Feb.
22, 2003: Station co-owner Jeffrey A. Derderian weeps at a news
conference in which he denies that his nightclub authorized
pyrotechnics on Feb. 20.
Forged by fire, Day 8: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Mark Arsenault and contributing reporters for this story:
12/21/2003
Forged by fire, Day 7: Life and Death
The Station had everything a fire needed:
Forged by fire, Day 7: How they got out
Through
interviews with survivors, The Providence Journal was able to determine
how most of them got out of the burning building. Here is the breakdown:
Forged by fire, Day 7: Demographics
Through
interviews and a review of legal documents, The Providence Journal
identified 432 people who were inside The Station when it caught fire.
Demographic information could not be obtained for every person, so the
totals below do not add up to...
Forged by fire, Day 7: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Michael Corkery and Paul Edward Parker for this story:
12/20/2003
Bitterness, grief divide families and survivors
A
few months after The Station fire, mourners placed 100 candles, for the
100 people who died, in the shape of a heart on the earth where the
nightclub once stood. They talked about a proper memorial; this was
sacred ground.
12/19/2003
Forged by fire, Day 6: The Guest List
Inside
the Doors of Perception tattoo parlor, the humming of the electric
tattoo needle mixed with the sound of heavy metal. The air was thick
with the aroma of spicy men's deodorant, used to slick down the skin,
and the scent of medicinal ointment, ...
Forged by fire, Day 6: People in the story
Michael Hoogasian
Forged by fire, Day 6: Chronology
March 1984: Michael Hoogasian and his friend Derek Knight attend their first Great White concert at the Providence Civic Center.
Forged by fire, Day 6: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Jennifer Levitz for this story:
12/18/2003
Forged by fire, Day 5: The Fire Marshal
WEST WARWICK -- How did he miss the foam?
Forged by fire, Day 5: Chronology
May 26, 1998: Denis P. Larocque becomes West Warwick's fire marshal.
Forged by fire, Day 5: People in the story
Denis P. Larocque
Forged by fire, Day 5: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Tom Mooney and Zachary R. Mider for this story:
12/17/2003
Forged by fire, Day 4: The Entrepreneurs
In
March 2000, two brothers secured a liquor license from the Town of West
Warwick to take over The Station nightclub on Cowesett Avenue.
Forged by fire, Day 4: People in the story
Michael A. Derderian
Forged by fire, Day 4: Chronology
1970: Triton Industries forms in Massachusetts.
Forged by fire, Day 4: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Jennifer Levitz for this story:
12/16/2003
Bill would outlaw negligence that causes injuries
PROVIDENCE
-- Legislation introduced yesterday would create a new category of
criminal offense, making it possible to prosecute somebody who causes
serious injury through negligence, said Larry Berman, spokesman for
House Speaker William J. Murphy.
Forged by fire, Day 3: The Enforcers
WEST
WARWICK -- As the town slid toward financial collapse in November 1990,
Mayor J. Michael Levesque hunted for budget savings.
Forged by fire, Day 3: Chronology
November
1990: Karen Pare is hired by West Warwick Mayor J. Michael Levesque, a
Republican, to fill the combined position of minimum housing officer
and building inspector in West Warwick. January 1991: Providence
businessman, Nicholas R. DeStefano,...
Forged by fire, Day 3: Sources
The following is a summary of the reporting sources used by Tom Mooney and Zachary R. Mider for this story:
12/15/2003
Forged by fire, Day 2: The Codes
The history of the Rhode Island fire code is the history of fire: the code is debated when people die.
Forged by fire, Day 2: People in the story
Stanley A. Davies
Forged by fire, Day 2: Chronology
1890s:
The phrase "grandfather clause" comes into usage as voting laws are
crafted to allow whites to vote even though they do not meet new
literacy and property qualifications. The term has come to mean an
exemption from a new law.
Forged by fire, Day 2: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Mark Arsenault for this story:
12/14/2003
Forged by fire, Day 1: The Mill Town
WEST
WARWICK -- You can live your entire life in the smallest state in the
country and never pass through its geographical center. You would have
no reason.
Forged by fire, Day 1: People in the story
Tom Medeiros
Forged by fire, Day 1: Chronology
1821: Roger Williams mill in West Warwick is destroyed by fire.
Forged by fire, Day 1: Sources
The following is a summary of reporting sources used by Tom Mooney for this story:
Joel P. Rawson: Details will tell this story of disaster
Recognizing
that people close to the victims of The Station fire may find it too
painful to confront newspaper reports at this time, I thought it might
be useful to tell readers what thearchive of upcoming days will be so
they can plan their...
12/13/2003
Station fund's holiday party today
The
Station Family Fund will sponsor a holiday party for survivors and
families affected by the Station Nightclub fire today from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m., at the Providence Marriott hotel.
12/12/2003
Others not off hook in Station case
PROVIDENCE
-- While many victims' families and survivors are outraged, legal
experts say they are not surprised that no public officials were
indicted in the Station fire investigation.
W. Warwick official softens media approach
A
"request" that West Warwick town employees refrain from talking with
the media about grand jury indictments in the Station nightclub fire
case is "bound to have a chilling effect" on virtually all employees,
the head of the Rhode Island Affiliate...
12/11/2003
West Warwick employees face gag order
Updated 4:55 p.m. WEST
WARWICK -- Town fire and building inspectors quietly went about their
work yesterday, ordered by the Town Council president not to speak to
the media, even as calls for criminal sanctions against them for their
inspections of The Station... 12/10/2003
Grand jury indicts club's owners, ex-tour manager in 100 deaths
WARWICK
-- The two owners of The Station nightclub and former tour manager for
the heavy metal band that ignited the pyrotechnics were indicted
yesterday on 600 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter in the
deaths of 100 people last winter in...
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Not enough, families say
WEST
WARWICK -- Mary S. Morin arrived at the West Valley Inn with a picture
of her deceased son, Ryan, taped over her heart and two squares of
gray, egg-crate packing foam clutched in her arms.
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Manslaughter charges based on 2 theories
The
director of the legal clinic at Rhode Island's only law school said
yesterday that prosecutors will have a hard time securing convictions
on the indictments handed up yesterday in the fire at The Station
nightclub.
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Fire-safety board gives initial OK to tough new codes
PROVIDENCE
-- At nearly the same time as the public's attention was focused on
proceedings in a Warwick courtroom yesterday, Rhode Island fire
experts, working out of the limelight, quickly and decisively gave
initial approval to the strictest...
State officials praise work, decision of grand jury
PROVIDENCE
-- Governor Carcieri said yesterday that the indictments of The Station
nightclub owners and the former tour manager for the band Great White
"confirms probably a lot of our feelings that there were some very,
very bad judgments made...
Station employees say others share blame
Two
people who worked at The Station the night of the deadly nightclub fire
say others bear responsibility for the tragedy besides the club's
owners and Great White's former tour manager.
Lawyer: Band leader 'relieved' but not celebrating
Jack
Russell and the other surviving members of Great White are relieved
that they have escaped prosecution but disappointed that their former
tour manager was indicted yesterday, the band's Los Angeles lawyer said.
The charges
Each of the three defendants is charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter.
12/09/2003
Club owners, ex-band manager charged in Station fire deaths
Updated 6:15 p.m. WARWICK
-- The co-owners of The Station nightclub and the former tour manager
of the Great White band, who lit the pyrotechnics that ignited the Feb.
20 fire at the club that killed 100 people, were indicted today on a
total of 600 charges of involuntary manslaughter. Grand jury probing Station fire issues its report
Updated 12:28 p.m. WARWICK
-- A Superior Court judge said today that the grand jury investigating
the disastrous fire at The Station nightclub has issued its report.
This afternoon, the state attorney general will hold a press conference
related to the fire. Families bring reminders of fire's pain
Posted 12:57 p.m. WEST
WARWICK -- Mary Morin came to a private meeting with the state attorney
general today with photos of her 31-year-old son and two pieces of foam. Grand jury probing Station fire meets at courthouse
Updated 11:04 a.m. WARWICK
-- A grand jury investigating the disastrous fire at The Station
nightclub that killed 100 people arrived at the Kent County Courthouse
this morning to meet with a Superior Court judge. There was no
immediate word on whether indictments were imminent. 12/07/2003
Computer answers 'what if' questions about Station fire
A
Providence Journal computer analysis of the fire that destroyed The
Station nightclub last February suggests that even minor modifications
to the building would have allowed dozens of more people to escape.
Station survivor list increases 2, to 432
Since
Oct. 5, when The Journal ran a list of 430 people who were inside The
Station when the fire started, two additional survivors have been added
to the list, bringing the total to 432.
Joel Rawson: Reporting details dangers at Station
Today's story on the Station fire is the result of more than seven months of a newspaper-wide reporting effort.
12/06/2003
Diocese donates $78,000 for fire victims
PROVIDENCE
-- The Diocese of Providence has raised $78,000 for victims' families
and survivors of a deadly nightclub fire in West Warwick, church
officials said Thursday.
12/03/2003
Lynch calls meeting for Station fire survivors, families
PROVIDENCE
-- Hundreds of letters have gone out to survivors and families of the
victims of The Station nightclub fire, inviting them to a briefing next
week on the status of the nine-month criminal investigation into the
disaster.
12/02/2003
Lynch to update fire victims' families on criminal probe
Posted 6:11 p.m. PROVIDENCE
-- State Atty. Gen. Patrick Lynch will meet next Tuesday with victims'
families and survivors of The Station nightclub fire to update them on
his office's criminal investigation into the blaze that killed 100
people. | 
