February 20, 2003

The Station nightclub

A club in West Warwick, in less than six minutes

3,611 held · 61 days 100 died 0 named here

The band set off pyrotechnics against foam soundproofing that had been fitted to quiet complaints from the neighbours. The foam was not flame-retardant.

The fire reached the ceiling in about thirty seconds and the building was fully involved in five and a half minutes. Most of the four hundred and sixty people inside went for the front door they had come in by, and it jammed.

A hundred were killed, including the band's guitarist. Two hundred and thirty were hurt. A local cameraman was filming a story about nightclub safety and recorded all of it.