West Warwick in Kent County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
The Station Fire Memorial Park
Thank you for visiting the Station Fire Memorial Park, the sacred ground where 100 individuals lost their lives February 20, 2003. We hope the gardens surround you with comfort, peace, and a place for reflection. This fitting memorial would not be possible without the generosity, hard work and dedication from numerous donors and volunteers. We sincerely and deeply appreciate their charitable spirit and kindness.
Welcome to the Station Memorial Park, a place to remember and commemorate the 100 angels who perished in the Station Nightclub tragedy, February 20, 2003. Here we also honor the strength of the survivors, responders and loved ones forever changed that night. We are grateful for the generosity of our donors and those who volunteered their time, services and endless support to make this Park a beautiful, lasting and meaningful reality.
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Lori K. Durante, 40 Edward E. Ervanial, 29 Thomas J. Fleming, 32 Rachael K. Florio-DePietro, 31 Mark A. Fontaine, 22 Daniel J. Frederickson, 37 Michael A. Fresolo, 32 James G. Gahan IV, 21 Melvin A. Gerfin Jr., 46 Laura Gillett, 32 Charline E. Gingras-Fick, 35 Michael J. Gonsalves, 40 James F. Gooden Jr., 37 Derek J. Gray, 22 Skott C. Greene, 35 Scott S. Griffith, 41 Pamela A. Gruttadauria, 33 L. Hamelin, 27 Jude Henault, 37 Andrew R. Hoban, 22 Abbie L. Hoisington, 28 Michael B. Hoogasian, 31 Sandy
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 17, 2026
2. The Station Fire Memorial Park Marker
Derek B. Johnson, 32 Lisa Kelley, 27 Tracy F. King, 39 Micheal J. Kulz, 30 Keith R. Lapierre, 29 Dale L. Latulippe, 46 Stephen M. Libera, 21 John M. Longiaru, 23 Ty C. Longley, 31 Andrea L. Mancini, 28 Keith Anthony Mancini, 34 Steven Mancini, 39 Judith Irene Manzo, 37 Thomas Frank Marion Jr., 27 Jeffrey W. Martin, 33 Tamany Mattera-Housa, 39 Kristin Leigh McQuarrie, 37 Thomas P. Medeiros, 40 Samuel J. Miceli, Jr. 37 Donna Marie Mitchell, 29 Leigh Ann Moreau, 21 Ryan M. Morin, 31 Jason R. Morton, 38 Elizabeth Ellen Mosozynski, 33 Katherine O'Donnell, 26
Nicholas Philip O'Neill, 18 Matthew James Pickett, 33 Carlos L. Pimentel Sr., 38 Christopher Prouty, 34 Jeffrey Scogtt Rader, 32 Theresa L. (Serpa) Rakoski, 30 Robert L. Reisner III, 29 Walter Rich, 40 Donald Paul Rod้riqu้s, 46 Tracey L. Romanoff, 33 Joseph E. Rossi, 35 Bridget M. Sanetti, 25 Rebecca Elinor Shaw, 24 Mitchell C. Shubert, 39 Dennis Joseph Smith,
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 17, 2026
3. The Station Fire Memorial Park Marker
🕊️
The Station Fire Memorial Foundation
20th Anniversary
02/20/03 - 02/20/23
This pavilion is dedicated in loving memory of those who lost their lives on February 20, 2003 to the valiant survivors and to all who come seeking solace and hope.
Station Fire Memorial
Timeline
60 Years Before
Cocoanut Grove Fire
Four hundred ninety-two people perish at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Boston when fire breaks out at 10:15PM. Although the cause of the fire was never officially documented, it was believed to have been started by a single match struck by a busboy attempting to locate a missing light bulb. Many of the victims die trying to escape through the single revolving front door exit.
(November 28, 1942)
56 Years Before
The Wheel
Brothers Casey and Henry Lada open a gin mill called The Wheel
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 17, 2026
4. The Station Fire Memorial Park Marker
(March 25, 1947)
35 Years Before
Cedar Acres Inn
After a three-year stint as a meeting place for local 1350, the land and building is sold to Joseph Muschiano. He renames the club Cedar Acres Inn, then changes it to The Doll House in 1968.
(May 12, 1967)
33 Years Before
Capacity Set to 50 Persons
The bar is purchased by Charles and Jeanne Petrarca and renamed Red Fox. Seating capacity is set by the West Warwick Fire Marshal at 50 Persons.
(April 27, 1970)
32 Years Before
Club Cinq-Sept Fire, France
A dropped match ignites walls sprayed with polyurethane foam sculpted to resemble a grotto. One hundred forty-six people perish in less than five minutes.
(November 1, 1970)
28 Years Before
P. Brillo Restaurant
Triton Realty Limited Partnership, controlled by Raymond Villanova, purchases 211 Cowesett Avenue, which is operated for the next eight years as a P. Brillo and Sons Italian Restaurant.
(June 5, 1974)
24 Years Before
Great White Forms
Singer Jack Russell and guitarist Mark Kendall form the band Dante Fox which is later renamed Great White.
(1978)
21 Years Before
Capacity Set to 161
The
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 17, 2026
5. The Station Fire Memorial Park Marker
(1982)
18 Years Before
Glenn's Pub & CrackerJacks
The liquor license for P. Brillo's Restaurant is transferred to Glenn madden and is renamed Glenn's Pub. Six years later, the business is purchased by the Kenik Corporation and renamed CrackerJacks.
(February 5, 1985).
13 Years Before
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Great White's biggest hit, a cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy," peaks at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
(October 26, 1989)
10 Years Before
The Filling Station
Raymond "Skip" Shogren buys the business and names it The Filling Station.
(January 5, 1993)
7 Years Before
Foam Added for Soundproofing
The Filling Station is purchased by Howard Julian. A few months into his ownership, Julian screws 17-inch square blocks of white 2-inch polythylene foam around the drummer's alcove as a soundproofing measure.
(December 5, 1995)
3 Years Before
Capacity Set to 317
West Warwick Fire Marshal Denis Laroque sets
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 17, 2026
6. The Station Fire Memorial Park Timeline
(December 30, 1999)
3 Years Before
The Station
Michael Derderian, a local businessman, and his brother Jeffrey, a TV news reporter, pay $130,000 to take over the business, shortening the name to The Station. They rent the building from Triton Realty for $3,500 a month. As part of the business transfer, the Fire Marshal raises the capacity to 401 standing occupants.
(March 8 and 21, 2000)
33 Months Before
"The Noise Problem"
The West Warwick Police Chief sends a memo to the Derderians warning that their entertainment license will not be approved unless they correct "the noise problem." The new owners meet with neighbor Barry Warner to talk about the noise. Warner suggests that the brothers purchase foam from his company to better soundproof the club.
(May 12, 2000)
32 Months Before
More Soundproofing Foam Added
Michael Derderian purchases 25 sheets of polyurethane packing foam from Station neighbor Barry Warner for $575.
(June 27, 2000)
27 Months Before
Great White Concert Booked
Great White is booked to include The Station as a venue on their upcoming 2003 tour. The band will receive $5,000 for a 90-minute set.
(November, 2000)
183 Days Before
Jack Russell Files for Bankruptcy
Great White lead singer Jack Russell files for personal bankruptcy with $20,000 in assets and $200,000 in debts.
(August 21, 2002)
92 Days Before
Code Violations Found
Fire Marshal Larocque inspects the club. He finds nine code violations but fails to note the 900 square feet of flammable polyurethane foam that has been glued to the nightclub's walls as soundproofing. Twelve days later, he revisits the club for a follow-up inspection. After verifying that the violations have been corrected, he issues an "All OK" for the club.
(November 20, 2002)
44 Days Before
New Governor
Donald L. Carcieri is sworn in as the 73rd Governor of the State of Rhode Island.
(January 7, 2003)
3 Days Before
The Chicago Stampede
Twenty-one people are killed and 50 injured following a stampede at E2, an overcrouded club on the East Side of Chicago. Later that same night, pyrotechnics from the band Jet City Fix set the ceiling of the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis on fire. Automatic sprinklers extinguish the flames and all 120 club patrons escape without injury. The band did not have a permit for the use of the pyrotechnics.
(February 17, 2003)
1 Day Before
Great White Arrives
Jack Russell's Great White arrives in Rhode Island. A snow storm adds nine inches to the four that fell on the previous day.
(February 19, 2003)
10 Hours Before
State Fire Marshal Comments on Safety
Interviewed about the Chicago nightclub stampede that had occurred three days earlier, State Fire Marshal Irving J. Owens says Rhode Island's fire codes all but eliminate the chance of a catastrophic nightclub fire in the Ocean State. "It's very remote something like that would happen here."
(February 20, 2003)
5 Hours Before
Free Tickets
Jack Russel is interviewed by Jimmy Gahan and Mike Ricardi for their college campus radio station WNRC-LP in Massachusetts. Russell puts them on the guest list for the show. Throughout the day, Russell will add more than a dozen names to the guest list including staff from their hotel and fans the band meets over breakfast.
4 Hours Before
A New Tattoo for Jack Russell
Jack Russell visits The Doors of Perception in West Warwick to get a new tattoo. He adds the artist, and several of the artist's friends to his growing list of concert guests.
52 Minutes Before
Dan Biechele Sets Up Pyrotechnics
Between the sets of house band Fathead and opening act Tripp, Great White road manager Daniel Biechele places two sets of four Pyropakฎ 15x15 gerbs on stage. The pyroctechnics are affixed to a plywood board using broom clips. The fireworks are designed to shoot sparks 15 feet high for 15 seconds.
47 Minutes Before
Last Minute Tickets
Having run out of printed tickets for the show an hour earlier, the club offers latecomers Gina Russo and her fianc้ a slip of notepaper to serve as their tickets.
27 Minutes Before
News Photographer Arrives
WPRI-TV news photographer Brian Butler arrive at The Station. His job for the evening is to shoot video for a news story Jeff Derderian is doing on nightclub safety in the aftermath of the Chicago club stampede.
2 Minutes Before
Great White Takes the Stage
Great White takes the stage, kicking off their set with the song "Desert Moon" from the album Hooked.
1 Minute Before
The Crowd Cheers
Four hundred sixty-two men and women stand shoulder to shoulder inside the Station Nightclub.
11:07 PM
February 20, 2003
Dan Biechele touches two wires to a battery to set off the gerbs. The sparks ignite a candle-sized flame on the foam covering the wall of the drummer's alcove.
15 Seconds After
Pyrotechnics Burn Out
As designed, the gerbs expel the last of their sparks.
18 Seconds After
The Foam Ignites
A small flame in the drummer's alcove quickly grows to over a foot tall.
20 Seconds After
Fire Spotted
The flame is now two feet tall and has been noticed by patrons closest to the stage. Some believe the fire is part of the show.
36 Seconds After
"Wow. That's not good."
Jack Russell, noticing the growing flames stops playing and says, "Wow. That's not good."
37 Seconds After
Stampede
The orderly evacuation quickly turns to chaos. Patrons surge toward the main exit. West Warwick police officer Mark Knott, standing just outside the exit, is knocked over the railing of the club's by the rush of people exiting the building. He lands on the hood of a parked car and radios headquarters: "Stampede!"
39 Seconds After
Exit Blocked
People begin to move to the main exit. A few attempt to leave by a nearby stage door but are turned away by staff who claim that the exit is "for band members only."
41 Seconds After
Jack Russell Escapes
After he splashes a water bottle on one wall in a fruitless effort to extinguish the flames. Jack Russell, along the other band members, quickly exit through the stage door, unharmed.
45 Seconds After
The Last Photo
Concert goer Joe Cristina snaps the last recovered photo from inside the nightclub. It depicts Jeff Rader standing in front of the stage, a drink and cigarette still in his hand. Behind him, the west wall of the club is fully engulfed in flame. After exiting the building Rader returns to search for his girlfriend, Becky Shaw. Both perish in the fire.
50 Seconds After
Fire Alarm Sounds
The building's fire alarm goes off. It is unknown if the alarm was manually pulled or set off by the heat of the raging fire. Grandfathered under Rhode Island building and fire codes, there is no sprinkler system in the nightclub.
60 Seconds After
Exit Clogged
The narrow 36-inch passage leading to the club's front exit is clogged by people who trip and fall in their frantic rush to escape. People attempt to push or crawl their way closer to the exit before being overcome with smoke. Fifty-eight victims will die in the main entryway - some less than a foot from the door.
90 Seconds After
The Fire Consumes the Oxygen
According to the National Institute of Science and Technology, oxygen levels in the club have fallen from the normal 21 percent to 2 percent.
2 Minutes After
Flashover
Temperatures near the ceiling of the dance floor area now exceed 1,830 ℉. The heat is extreme enough to cause hair and clothing to burst into flame.
3 Minutes After
Firefighters on Way
The bell at West Warwick Fire Station 4 sounds. The dispatcher alerts the crew, "Building fire at The Station."
5 Minutes After
Engine 4 Arrives
Lt. Roger St. Jean reports "Heavy fire showing" and aims his hose at the front entrance in an effort to save those still trapped just inside the exit door.
6 Minutes After
Final Exit
The last known survivors to escape on their own run down the handicapped-access ramp in front of the nightclub. Thirty-four rescue and 23 private ambulances are now en route to the scene.
8 Minutes After
Heroes Inside and Out
Club bouncers Tracy King and Steve Mancini help several victims escape through a broken window. Both died in the fire. Several patrons who have gotten outside help pull both the conscious and unconscious through broken windows. Many burn victims throw themselves in the snow or into the arms of the first responders.
10 Minutes After
Calls for Help
West Warwick Police recieve a 911 call from "a female trapped inside the club." It is thought the call came from Bridget Sanetti, who was with Katie O'Donnell in the ladies' room when the fire broke out. Neither survived. Bridget's cell phone will be recovered from the wreckage; the last number dialed was 911.
23 Minutes After
Mass Casualty Incident
The West Warwick Police Department contacts the Rhode Island Medical Examiner's office to advise that a "Mass Casualty Incident" is underway.
38 Minutes After
Triage Center Established
The Cowesett Inn restaurant, across the street from the nightclub, is commandeered as a triage, command and field trauma center. Owner James Paolucci and his staff maintain a constant supply of food, water and ice to the victims and first responders throughout the entire night.
45 Minutes After
Governor Alerted
Vacationing in Florida, Governor Carcieri gets a second update from his Chief of Staff who is receiving reports of multiple fatalities at the scene. Carcieri hangs up and calls the Florida State Police to assist him in getting a flight home as quickly as possible.
54 Minutes After
Medical Teams Called to Action
Rhode Island Hospital sends out a blast message to their staff that fire victims are inbound. Two hundred doctors and nurses and hundreds of support staff rush to the hospital. Similar alerts are sent out from medical centers throughout the state. Hospitals as far away as Boston are put on alert.
90 Minutes After
Miracle at the Exit
Mike Vargas, who has remained trapped under a five-foot pile of bodies just inside the front entrance, grabs the boot of a shocked fire fighter. He is pulled out from beneath the dead and miraculously walks away with mild burns.
2 Hours After
Police Question Biechele
Daniel Biechele tells the police that he was the one who triggered the pyrotechnics that started the fire. He claims to have received permission for fireworks from club owner Michael Derderian.
3 Hours After
Police Question Derderian
Club owner Jeffrey Derderian tells the police that Great White did not have permission to use fireworks in the nightclub.
6 Hours After
Family Assistance Center Established
The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and Red Cross set up a family assistance center at the nearby Crowne Plaza Hotel. Over the following days, the hotel will donate and serve over 7,500 meals to grieving relatives.
7 Hours After
A National News Story
Changing planes in North Carolina, Governor Carcieri is recognized by a ticket agent who has seen the national news coverage of the fire playing out on televisions throughout the airport. This coverage is seen across the globe.
8 Hours After
Recovery Underway
Kent County Hospital goes through a three-month supply of morphine in one night. The FAA declares the airspace over The Station a no-fly zone to prevent media helicopters from hindering recovery efforts. Police cross-reference the license plates of vehicles remaining in The Station parking lot as a first effort in identifying victims.
12 Hours After
Last Body Recovered
Firefighters recover the last body from the smoldering wreckage. As with each of the victims, emergency responders remove their headgear and bow in prayer, as a chaplain blesses the deceased person before they are placed in a body bag on a stretcher.
23 Hours After
Death Toll at 96
Now back in Rhode Island, Governor Carcieri announces that the death toll stands at 96 people. He asks for dentists to be on standby to provide records to help identify the victims as quickly as possible.
2 Days After
Derderians Hold a News Conference
"Please know I tried as hard as I could," Jeffrey Derderian says through tears. "Many people didn't make it out and that is a horror that will haunt my family and I for the rest of our lives.
(February 22, 2003)
4 Days After
Governor Orders Inspections
Governor Carcieri orders an "inspection blitz" of all 1,712 places of assembly, such as theaters, restaurants, nightclubs and churches, in all 39 cities and towns in the state.
(February 24, 2003)
5 Days After
All Victims Identified
Thirty-five professionals work around the clock to perform autopsies and accurately identify all 96 victims. In over one third of the cases, identification is established from a distinctive tattoo found on the body.
(February 25, 2003)
5 Days After
Fire Inspector Questioned
Fire Marshal Larocque tells the state police that he hadn't seen the highly flammable polyurethane foam on the nighclub's walls during his previous inspection because he had been "blinded by anger" after finding an illegal inward-swinging door had been reinstalled after he had ordered it removed during an earlier inspection.
(February 25, 2003)
6 Days After
Grand Jury Convened
A state grand jury is convened to investigate any criminal acts that may have led up to the tragedy.
(February 26, 2003)
7 Days After
FEMA Denies Assistance
The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency denies Governor Carcieri's request to declare the fire a major disaster.
(February 27, 2003)
8 Days After
97 Angels
Singer-songwriter Joe Silva composes "97 Angels" to honor the victims of the fire. For the next 12 years, Silva would repeatedly return to perform his song at many memorial services.
(February 28, 2003)
12 Days After
Legal Actions Begin
The first lawsuit from the fire are filed in Rhode Island Superior Court. A temporary memorial begins to grow out of the ruins as friends and families begin to save personal items, photos and makeshift crosses along a temporary fence that surrounds the site.
(March 4, 2003)
3 Weeks After
Victims Remain Hospitalized
Thirty survivors remain confined to four hospitals, with 12 listed in critical condition. For the first time in its 40 year history, Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston cares for adult burn victims.
(March 16, 2003)
6 Weeks After
Derderians Fined by State
The Derderians are fined $1 million dollars by the State of RI for having failed to pay workers' compensation insurance for their nightclub employees. It is the largest fine ever imposed for the violation. The Derderians file an appeal.
(April 9, 2003)
10 Weeks After
The 100th Victim
Pamela Gruttadauria dies at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She is the fourth victim to die in the hospital and the 100th and final to die of injuries sustained in the fire. Two-hundred and thirty were injured. Forty-one children under the age of 18 have lost one or both parents in the fire.
(May 4, 2003)
15 Weeks After
Memorial Board Formed
The Station Fire Memorial Foundation is formed. Its mission is "To ensure that our loved ones would receive a proper memorial upon the sacred ground where their lives were so tragically cut short."
(June 2003)
19 Weeks After
New Fire Code Signed into Law
Governor Carcieri ratifies the Comprehensive Fire Safety Act of 2003, a top to bottom rewrite of the state's fire-safety code. It requires sprinklers in every nightclub serving more than 150 people.
(July 7, 2003)
5 Months After
National Fire Codes Changed
A strict new national model fire code is adopted by the National Fire Protection Association. Among other provisions, it suggests that states require sprinklers in every nightclub serving more than 50 people.
(July 25, 2003)
6 Months After
Derderians Fined by OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fines the Derderians $85,200 and Great White $7,000 for workplace-safety violations.
(August 20, 2003)
9 Months After
Grand Jury Indictments Released
The grand jury returns manslaughter indictments against the Derderians and Daniel Biechele. To the outrage of many, Fire Marshal Larocque is not named in the indictment.
(December 9, 2003)
1 Year After
First Memorial Service
More than 1,000 people attend a memorial service to mark the one-year anniversary of the fire.
(February 20, 2004)
2 Years After
Report on Fire Released
The National Institute of Standards and Technology releases a 550-page draft report about the fire, recommending tighter fire codes nationwide.
(March 3, 2005)
2 Years, 7 Months After
Derderians File Bankruptcy
Faced with hundreds of potential lawsuits stemming from the fire, the Derderians file for federal bankruptcy protection for themselves and their company Derco, LLC.
(September 23, 2005)
2 Years, 11 Months After
Band Manager Pleads Guilty
Daniel Biechele changes his plea from innocent to guilty for 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Biechele becomes the first and only defendant to enter a guilty plea. Over the next three months, he personally writes individual letters to the families of each of the 100 victims.
(February 7, 2006)
3 Years, 2 Months After
Local Restaurant Fined
The Newport City Council unanimously votes to fine Christie's Restaurant $10,000 for overcrowding, the largest such penalty in the city's history.
(April 26, 2006)
3 Years, 2 Months After
Band Manager Sentenced
Following two full days of impact statements from victim families, Daniel Biechele is sentenced to serve four years in prison. Biechele tells the judge, "I don't know that I will ever forgive myself for what happened that night, so I can't expect anybody else to."
(May 10, 2006)
3 Years, 6 Months After
Derderians Make a Deal
In a private meeting with prosecutors and a judge, the Derderians agree to a deal under which Michael would be sentenced to four years in prison and Jeffrey to three years probation and 500 hours of community service. Eighteen days later, the Derderians each plead "no contest" to 100 counts of involuntary manslaughter.
(September 11, 2006)
4 Years, 9 Months After
Attorney General Releases Evidence
Under media scrutiny and public outcry over the plea-bargain deal with the Derderians and failure to indict additional defendants, the Rhode Island Attorney General and Judiciary release the evidence from The Station fire criminal cases. In total, the public receives more than 34,000 documents, nearly 3,000 photographs and 100 hours of digital audio and video files.
(November 29, 2007)
5 Years After
Design for Memorial Unveiled
At the fifth anniversary memorial service, The Station Fire Memorial Foundation unveils a design for the permanent memorial but cannot move forward as they have yet to obtain the land at 211 Cowesett Avenue. Still under the ownership of Triton Realty, owner Raymond Villanova explains that he will not act on the land until after the civil litigation has been settled.
(February 17, 2008)
5 Years, 1 Month After
Biechele Released
Daniel Biechele is released from the Adult Correctional Institution after serving less than two years of his four-year sentence.
(March 19, 2008)
6 Years After
Derderian Released
Michael Derderian is released from the state prison after serving two years and nine months of his four-year sentence.
(June 25, 2009)
6 Years, 10 Months After
Legal Settlement
Judge Ronald R. Lagueux approves $176 million in settlements of civil cases for more than 300 victims of the fire and more than 200 of their relatives. Sixty-five defendants will contribute to the settlements. Payments will be made to 550 people with settlements ranging from less than $3,000 to more than $7 million.
(January 7, 2010)
8 Years After
Family Fund Closes
The Station Family Fund announces that they will officially suspend operations after having raised over $3 million to meet the immediate needs of those most affected by the tragedy.
(May 15, 2011)
9 Years After
Land Donated
The Station Fire Memorial Foundation announces that property owner Raymond Villanova has donated the land at 211 Cowesett Avenue for the construction of a permanent memorial.
(September 28, 2012)
10 Years After
240 Die in Brazilian Nightclub Fire
In Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 240 people perish and 630 others are injured when fire breaks out at the Kiss nightclub. Authorities believe that band pyrotechnics started the blaze.
(January 27, 2013)
10 Years 7 Months After
Site Cleared for Construction
Handmade crosses, photographs, stuffed animals and other items are carefully cleared in preparation for construction. Certain items will be placed in a vault buried under the front gate of the permanent memorial.
(September 21, 2013)
11 Years After
Support for Memorial Strong
A survey commissioned by the Station Fire Memorial Foundation concludes that, even after 11 years, there remains "overwhelming charitable interest" in supporting the funds necessary to complete the permanent memorial.
(September 21, 2013)
13 Years After
Ghost Ship Warehouse Fire
Thirty-six concert attendees die when fire breaks out in an Oakland, California warehouse. The building had been illegally converted into an artist collective and no permits had been obtained to host the event. The city's planning director revealed that the building had not been inspected for three decades. An editorial in a local newspaper blamed the tragedy on "greed and indifference."
(December 2, 2016)
14 Years After
Park Opens
The Station Fire Memorial Park opens to the public.
(May 21, 2017)
Today
Remember
Erected by The Station Fire Memorial Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Disasters • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is February 20, 2003.
Location. 41° 41.075′ N, 71° 30.655′ W. Marker is in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in Kent County. It is at the intersection of Kulas Road and Cowesett Avenue (Rhode Island Route 3), on the right when traveling south on Kulas Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 211 Cowesett Ave, West Warwick RI 02893, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Providence and on Narragansett Bay. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Old St. Mary's Church (approx. half a mile away); The Nathanael Greene Homestead Cemetery (approx. 1.7 miles away); Liberty Tree Memorial (approx. 1.8 miles away); Nathanael Greene Memorial (approx. 1.8 miles away); Nathanael Greene (approx. 1.8 miles away); The General Nathanael Greene Homestead (approx. 1.8 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 2 miles away); David Whitman (approx. 2.7 miles away).
Additional keywords. NFPA
Credits. This page was last revised on September 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 25, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
