PROVIDENCE –– The judge in the Station nightclub fire lawsuit has ordered a court-appointed special master to review the dollar amounts that children of the victims of the deadly 2003 fire will get under a pending settlement.

U.S. District Judge Ronald R. Lagueux, on Wednesday, granted a motion by all of the plaintiffs to expand special master William Poore’s responsibilities to “include the evaluation of apportioning” that was calculated by Jeffrey Dahl, a court-appointed neutral verification expert.

All told, victims and the minor children of victims of the fire are slated to share a $176-million settlement pool. One hundred people died and 200 others were injured in the West Warwick club fire that spread quickly after pyrotechnics set ablaze highly flammable foam on the walls during a Great White band performance.

The judge’s order set guidelines.

Poore was appointed special master in November to review a proposed settlement distribution plan and determine if it would “result in the fair treatment” of the group of about 148 minors. Poore found the overall plan “generally fair,” the judge said in his order. Dahl reviewed each claim and “it is possible to assign actual dollar amounts” to the affected based on a point system.

After Poore reviews settlement amounts, he will submit a report and any recommendations to Lagueux, giving “at least part of the information [the court] will need to approve each settlement.” The judge will decide procedures governing release of settlements on behalf of the minors.

mmckinne@projo.com