Digital Extra: The Station Fire

01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, March 2, 2005

The federal agency investigating The Station nightclub fire announced yesterday that the public will be allowed to attend a news briefing tomorrow at which the agency will announce its findings and recommendations.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology originally had planned two briefings, one for the media and one for the public. At the suggestion of Sen. Jack Reed, the agency scrapped the public briefing in favor of an invitation-only meeting for survivors of the fire and for the families of those who died. But NIST and Reed received complaints about excluding the public.

While the public will be allowed to attend the news briefing, NIST said it hopes to limit a question-and-answer period after the briefing to questions from the media only.

The briefing is scheduled for 11 a.m. to noon at the Providence Marriott, Orms Street.

NIST's investigation will not assign blame for the fire that consumed the West Warwick nightclub on Feb. 20, 2003, eventually killing 100.

NIST said in a statement: "The overall goal of this investigation . . . is to recommend improvements in the way people design, construct, maintain and use buildings to increase both occupant safety and structural integrity."