14 Years ago, the Station Night Club fire killed 100 people
Grant Mogford, CFPS, CESI, CECS
Fire Safety Expert & Senior Consultant at Flue Steam, Inc.
February 20, 2003
The Station Nightclub Fire occurred in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in 2003. The fire began when the tour manager of Great White, the headlining band, set off pyrotechnics that spread through the soundproofing foam at the back of the stage. The flames quickly moved to the ceiling, creating billows of smoke and a panicked race for the front door. There was no automatic fire sprinkler system to put out the flames, and of the 404 nightclub occupants, 100 were killed and 200 were injured.
The club did not have an automatic fire sprinkler system to extinguish the fire, and most of the victims died at the primary entrance where the rush of frantic spectators created a logjam at the front door. Although the club was at capacity, it was not overcrowded, so failed escape attempts were not a result of the overcrowding of the nightclub. Instead, they resulted from the fact that people neglected to use exit routes other than the front door. For this reason, Campus Safety and Security and FPS have teamed with the Student Government, Texas State Fire Marshal’s office, and Lower Colorado River Authority in the Have an Exit Strategy campaign, to heighten awareness among nightclub and party goers that, “The best way out may not the be way in.”
Partner, Vice President of Fire and Life Safety Services at Global Security Group Inc.
8 年It is unnerving that in 2017 these incidents will continue to occur - Oakland, though not a real club, shows the lack of care of all involved - I would like to see sharper teeth given to fire departments with regard to fire prevention
FIRE SAFETY CONSULTANT
8 年RIP . We should promote Fire Prevention ,Fire Protection & Fire Safety Awareness Training to avoid this type of Fire Tragedy
Principal Expert, Fire and Explosion Investigator and Analyst at Meier Fire Investigation, LLC
8 年Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. There have been many similar nightclub fires before and several since. Until the public demands rigorous enforcement of fire and safety codes, we can look forward to history repeating itself.